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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:
- "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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "million 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "inland revenue" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "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.
- 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.
- dulp.lee@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Felix M. Douglas" <info.frb@execs.com>
Reply-To: "Felix M. Douglas" <dulp.lee@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 21:13:03 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Compensation sum of $1000.000.00 USD
 The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) was created in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the UN Security Council. Its mandate is to process claims and pay compensation for those who losses their money on their effort to claim their award and for Global Humanitarian Assistance. United nation compensation commission Cotonou Regional District.
This is to inform you that United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) in conjunction with international monetary fund (IMF) has jointly agreed to pay a compensation sum of One million united state dollars ($1000.000.00 USD) to you as a scam victim, this compensation fund signed in your name because your name and e-mail address was listed as one of the scam victim. We have done a lot towards the eradication of fraudsters and our operation unit, Cyber Criminality is taken most concern towards this urgly act.
All matters relating to the immediate release of your compensation fund has been regularized therefore as non residential beneficiary, to file the claim of your compensation fund, you need the service of the State Attorney whom will assist you in Inland Revenue Service in other to obtain NON RESIDENTIAL TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE (NRTCC) in your name for the release of your fund.
You are to contact the attorney on the below contact information:
Name: Mr. Silvester Wyne
E-mail:Â dulp.lee@hotmail.com
Phone: +22968485334
Send the following information to him for processing of your NRTCC:
1. YOUR FULL NAME 2. YOUR AGE 3. SEX: 4. HOUSE OR OFFICE ADDRESS 5.OCCUPATION 6. YOUR PHONE NUMBER(S)
We wish to advice you to be very careful in any further communication with those people who are promising you millions of united state dollars over the internet so that you will not be scam again.
Best regards
Mr. Felix M. Ugom
UNCC Representative
Ph: +22968485325
Copyright ©1997-2008 The UNCC Secretariat Corporation all Rights Reserved
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