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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- drakatakpo.odum@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR. AKATAKPO ODUM" <yumi903@muse.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "DR. AKATAKPO ODUM" <drakatakpo.odum@gmail.com >
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 04:26:49 +0900 (JST)
Subject: DID YOU AUTHORIZE MR. GEORGE OSWALD TO RECEIVE YOUR ATM CARD
VALUED US$1.2M?
DID YOU AUTHORIZE MR. GEORGE OSWALD TO RECEIVE
YOUR ATM CARD VALUED US$1.2M?
Dear beneficiary,
My names are Dr. Akatakpo Odum, assigned to
financial sectors in Benin Republic to ensure
due process and rights enforcement.
Did you authorized anybody to receive your ATM
CARD valued US$1.200,000.00 recently issued to
you as your approved compensation or donation
payment.
I have concluded arrangement to dispatch your
parcel of the ATM CARD by courier to you but
just received an application from Mr. George
Oswald, requesting me to send the parcel to
his address in Hong Kong.
I sent you messages about this development
but did not hear from you. If I do not hear
from you I will dispatch the parcel of your
ATM CARD to the Hong Kong address of Mr.
George Oswald. The applicant, Mr.George Oswald
promised to pay the minor delivery fee of the
ATM CARDand requested to be provided payment
directives in that regard.
Be informed that Mr. George Oswald told me
that you have authorized him to receive the
ATM CARD through his Hong Kong address due to
your serious health complication.
I cannot cooperate with his request to
dispatch the parcel of the ATM CARD issued to
you nor accept any payment from him without
confirming issues of fact from you or from any
of your relation etc.
You are advised to confirm the following to
me:-
a: That you are healthy.
b: That you authorized Mr.George Osswald to
receive your ATM CARD parrcel through his Hong
Kong address instead of your address.
c: Reconfirm your residence or office address
for purpose of delivery of your ATM CARD.
Contact me and reconfirm the true position at
: drakatakpo.odum@gmail.com
Thank you.
Dr. Akatakpo Odum
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Anti-fraud resources:
