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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- darrell_schmitter@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. David West" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <darrell_schmitter@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 01:29:17 -0800
Subject: Attention: 73/32014
Attention: Winner
After the ECOWAS Office today, an online E-Mail Raffle Draw has given a won prize of $500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/31276508175/13 to three (3) active internet users and you were lucky to be one of the users who emerged as a winner with your Winning Number: ECWS09788. Your Claim agent Mr. Darrell Schimtter have been assigned to assist you in claiming your won prize as soon as possible and will be released to you in record time.
You are therefore advice to contact Mr. Darrell Schimtter directly on the email address (darrell_schmitter@yahoo.co.jp) with the below information for quick transfer/delivery of your won prize to you without delay.
1. Full Name.
2. Country.
3. Contact Address.
4. Phone, Mobile numbers.
5. Age/Sex.
6. Marital Status.
7. Occupation/Job title.
8. Winning Number.
9. Amount Won.
10.Nextof Kin (If available)
CHOOSE AN OPTION BELOW IN OTHER TO RECEIVE YOUR WINNING FUNDS
1. BANK TRANSFER.
2. COURIER DELIVER.
DECLARATION:
I....................Hereby Declear that the above data are true in case of any unforseen circustance, my next of kin has the right to claim the total won prize. (Fiduciary agent shall act as my agent in facilitating the release of the total fund to me. DATE:...............
Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!
Looking forward to your swift response.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.David West
Online Co-ordinator
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