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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "required fee " (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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "MR.ROBERT ZEBS" <sharonbradley14@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "MR.ROBERT ZEBS" <mrrobertzebs@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2015 00:16:01 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From the desk of Mr.Robert Zebs
>From the desk of Mr.Robert Zebs
I am here by apologizing for the delayed of your $50,000.00 Fifty
Thousand United State Dollars because I traveled out of country since
and have been in Paris-France all this while; I just came back 1 days
ago.
However I asked Mrs. Elizabeth Mark about your funds and he told me that
you did not get the fund till this date. I asked him why and he
explained to me that you couldn't be able to pay the required fee
needed to start releasing your payments. I ask him why they requested
such huge amount from you instead of $39 I instructed him before I
traveled.
Right now the only amount you have to send to my (Secretary Marcel
Obi) is only $39 for the activation of your Western Union VAT File
paper, to entitle you receiving your daily
payments till done?
The $39 should be sending to below:
Here is information to send the fee both western union or money gram
Receiver:::::Christ Amuzie
Country: Benin Republic
City : Cotonou
Question:When
Answer: Today
Amount: $39
Mtcn:::
Sender name:
Be advice that after this very $39, therefore will be none payment
from you again than your daily confirming payment of $5,000 till the
whole $50,000.00 is completed.
My word and order to the western union Manager Director is that you
should pay only bet $39 no more no less. Therefore if anybody ask you
for any additional payment after you paying $39, kindly report to me
because the person has cross line of my orders.
Please I'm real sorry for the inconveniences this delayed might cause to you.
Thanks:
Mr.Robert Zebs
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Anti-fraud resources: