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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (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.
- 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.
- usdepartmentofstateoffice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usdepartmentofstateoffice@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:48:30 -0800
Subject: ATTENTION BENEFICIARY.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS
US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
11 GARKI ROAD ABUJA
ABUJA-NIGERIA
WEB SITE BIOGRAPHY http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
TEL: (+234-8137529627)
EMAIL:usdepartmentofstateoffice@gmail.com
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY
I AM AMBASSADOR JAMES F ENTWISTLE THE NEW APPOINTED USA
AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA,I SHALL BE COMING TO USA FOR A MEETING AND WILL
LET YOU KNOW THAT I WILL BE COMING WITH YOUR CONSIGNMENT PACKAGE SO
ALL YOU ARE ADVISE TO DO IS TO FURNISH ME WITH YOUR PASSPORT
PHOTOGRAPH AND YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS ALSO YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT WERE I
WILL ARRIVED.
NOTE THAT AS SOON AS I CONFIRM THIS INFORMATION I WILL BOOK MY FLIGHT
TICKET BECAUSE I HAVE FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE PAID A LOT OF MONEY AND
AFTER PAYING YOU RECEIVE NOTHING THAT IS WHY I AM USING MY POSITION
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL AMERICAN BENEFICIARY AND CANADA AND EUROPE
BENEFICIARY INCLUDING ASIA RECOVER ALL THEIR LOST FUND WHICH NIGERIA
AND UK OFFICIALS COLLECTED FROM YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT AND
YOU LOTTERY WINNING.
FINALLY NOTE THAT IT WILL ONLY COST YOU THREE HUNDREAD AND FIFTY DOLLAR ONLY AS I WILL USED IT TO REGISTER YOUR CONSIGNMENT AS
AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE SO THAT ON MY ARRIVAL TO ANY AIRPORT YOUR
CONSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE CONFISCATED.
THANKS
AMBASSADOR JAMES F ENTWISTLE
USA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
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Anti-fraud resources:
