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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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. )
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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 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.
- ferservice.fasttransfer@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR.JOYCE BENSON" <rggt21@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "MR.JOYCE BENSON" <ferservice.fasttransfer@yahoo.es>
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 19:46:37 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Attention: Owner Of This Email:
 U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department.
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington , DC 20520
Greeting from USA I.R.S,
Attention: Owner Of This Email:
We write to inform you that your package with reference number
20214729 has been in Customs facility custody waiting for resolutions
of the clearance to further the delivery to your delivery address by
the delivery Agent who came all the way from Africa.We have been
waiting for you to contact us regarding your ATM VISA CARD containing
sum of $10.500.000.00 USD which the agent suppose to deliver to you
which has been on hold by USA Customs Department and they are
requesting for clearance certificate which will be obtain from the
origination of the ATM VISA CARD before it will be released from the
Customs to the delivery agent to complete the delivery.
After the phone call we made on your behalf to the USA Customs
Authority and the Government of Republic Of Nigeria, it was resolved
that the delivery of your card to your address must be complete within
two (2) working days upon your compliance to our directives; You
should send the sum of $$65.00 USD to obtain the needed
Ownership-clearance certificate from Lagos Nigeria.
The clearance charges which was initially on the high price has been
cut down by the US Embassy in Lagos Nigeria considering the
poor economic situations that make it difficult for the middle class
citizens to meet up with the clearance of their entitlement.We will
upon the confirmation of your clearing charge assign our Diplomatic
Agent (MR.JOYCE BENSON) to travel to your USA and collect your package
and proceed with the delivery.
Once you notify us with the payment information and the needed
Ownership-clearance certificate from Lagos, the USA
Customs will release your ATM VISA CARD to you and it will be
delivered to you by the agent.
Note that you are expected to pay only $65.00 usd for
Ownership-clearance certificate and you are to pay it to LAGOS NIGERIA
as the origination of the package with the receiver
information of Mbah Augustine as our accountant officer in Lagos Nigeria
.Send the $65.00 usd through Money Gram or Western union once you receive
this mail with the information below for immediate release of your
package,
Receivers Name:====Mbah Augustine
Country/City:=======Lagos Nigeria
Test Question:=======What For?
Answer: ===========Help
Amount:===========$65.00usd
Once you send the money to this name,
please try to notify us with the MTCN so that we can contact MR. Mbah for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of your
Ownership-clearance certificate.
Note that any unclaimed ATM VISA CARD will be return to Nigeria
Government after 3 days. So you are urgently advised to
comply with
our directives so that the Customs will release your card.
Thank You.
Yours Sincerely.
Mr.Richard Nelson
Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Email(ferservice.fasttransfer@yahoo.es )
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