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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. )
- 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. Anthony Ezechu" <rom:@mbf.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "western.union7762@hotmail.com" <western.union7762@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:01:59 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear Costumer
This is to inform you that we want to start sending your winning lottery money today and you can only be receiving 4500 dollars two times daily from your winning fund through the appointed western union agent. note that you will pay 55 dollars only to the western union agent for your transferring file account.
Though today's first payment has been made for you from the paying Bank and here is the MTCN=759-851-87,the full information can not be give to you now due to for some security reasons and it applies you must contact the western union agent immediately with your full information's so that they can call you and give you the remaining two digit number of your MTCN.
Kindly provide the below information to western union agent
Your full name
Country
Address
Phone number
The appointed western union will be waiting to hear from you
Contact person
Mr. Anthony Ezechu
Western Union Director
No.+229 68473023
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Anti-fraud resources:
