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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- 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.
- wunion7100@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Peter Pan <officemail27@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Mr Peter Pan <wunion7100@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 10:19:54 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Your Ugent Attention Is Needed !!!
  Your Ugent Attention Is Needed !!!
This is to inform you that we have been instructed to pay your fund$5.8Million U.S.A Dollars by America security leading team and Americarepresentative embassy after meeting held on 29TH with Mr president YAYIBONI. then between now until end of JULY 2013 per day you willreceive the sum of $5,000 Dollars,However be informed that we have sendthe sum of $5,000 Dollars this morning to avoid cancellation of yourpayment though it was agreed that you will pay the sum of $59 beforepayment department will release the payment to you.Below is the contact information of Manager foreign payment operation whois incharge of release of your payment.Western Union Operation Manager Mr Peter PanPhone Number +229-64-01-42-53Email:(wunion7100@gmail.com)Don't fail to call this office if you encounter any problem with thepayment MTCNNote.you have only 6 hours to call this office upon the receipt of thisemail the $59 serve as re-confirmation of your filepayment from the office in charge. the maximum amount you will bereceiving per day starting from today is $5,000 in threedifferent payments and the Money Transfer Control Number of today is below.THIS IS YOUR MTCN NO CLICK TRACKINGWebsite:WWW.western union.com CLICK TRACKINGSender Name;;VICTORIA LOVAN.M.T.C.N: (450-959-08-46)Text Question:A?Text Answer:B.Amount: USD$5,000.00Once again be advice to reconfirm your information such as;
YOUR RECEIVER NAME::::YOUR RECEIVER COUNTRY:::YOUR RECEIVERCITY:::::::::YOUR TEL::::::::::::::::::::YOUR TEST QUESTION::::::::::::YOUR ANSWER:::::::::::::::::::::A Copy of your id:::::::::::::::::
Find below information where you send the require $59. for the immediaterelease of your paymentRECEIVER NAME ....JOE OKOROCITY............PORTONOVOCOUNTRY.......BENIN REPUBLIQUEÂ TEXT QUESTION......WHENANSWER TEXT .........TODAYAMOUNT ...............$59 USD
Be advise that the $59 is a compulsory as they told me that is only moneyyou will pay until you receive your paymentcompletelyFeel free to call this department in case if you encounter any problemdon't forget to email us the require information suchas your current telephone number so that we can call you once we send anypayment.Yours in Service,Western Union AgentMr. Samson Williams
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