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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million 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)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- westernunion01@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Eze Philip" <homeland88securitusa@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "Mr.Eze Philip" <westernunion01@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 19:19:03 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: ARE YOU REDAY TO CLAIM YOUR FUND NOW FROM WESTERN UNION HEAD
OFFICE.??
 Good Day:
Western Union Head Office wish to inform you that United Nation and the (ECOWAS) have instructed us to send you the sum of $1.7Million dollars.from your winning fund $5,000 has already been sent to you as first collection of which you will be recovering every day until the total amount is completely transfer to you
This is the final notice you are going to receive from this office, do you get me? I hope you understand how many times this message has been sent to you. Sender Information’s to BELOW:
HERE IS THE Available MTCN for pick up by receiver BELOW:
Sender name===========Mary Orona
Test question======== WHAT COLOR
Test answer:============ blue
Amount======== == = $5,000 00
MTCN===========414854****
Traking via www.westernunion.com
Your need to send the activation fee, Which is $95 before then you will see the complete 10 Digit number to pick up the needed $5000, Which have been sent to you today. So please act fast by sending the $95 with the information below for the pickup of your $5000 without delay.
Important note there is one man call Mr James Dike who claim to be your representative who came in our office say that you send him to pay the fee on your be half as the next of kin to claim the fund are you aware of this man ???
Contact Agent: Dr Dennis H. Meijs
Reply To This Email: westernunion01@yahoo.com
Tel:+: +229-99473544
HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE FEE THROUGH MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION TODAY
Receiver...Name:Anaetu Anthony
Country:.. Benin Republic
City:......Cotonou
Q:........ when
A:........ today
Amount:... $95 dollar
Senders Name ....?
MTCN..........OR Reference...........?
As result of the information we got I told them to wait until I hear from you today to know if you are still interested to receive this fund lets release your full MTCN of your $5000 installment once we confirm the activation fee as soon as you receive this message. So if you are interested on your fund, Send the MTCN activation fee upon your response.
Best Regard
Mr.Eze Philip
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