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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "m-t-moneygram@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Richard Amed <AMED.@gamma.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Mr Richard Amed <moneygram677@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2016 20:36:28 +0900 (JST)
Subject: RENEWING CHARGE
ATTENTION
I am Mr Richard Amed from Ministry Of Finance Cotonou (Head office) This is
to bring to your notice that after the conference meeting we had, The Government
of this country realized that you are among those that involved in scam victim we have in our list to
Compensate by the government of this country as instruction from United Nation
(UN)The Governor of this state Cotonou Benin Republic has instructed this office to forward your file to MONEY GRAM MONEY
TRANSFER DEPARTMENT to pay you the sum of US$950.000.00 Dollar through MONEY GRAM.
The PRESIDENT OF this country His Excellence Dr.YAYI BONI has instructed the
MONEY GRAM payment department Mr.Raji John to send the sum of $950.000.00 USD
through his custody for easy receiver of your funds. You are to contact them now to ensure that your fund will be
transferring to you once you send them the needed information to avoid wrong
transaction.According to the demands of MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER you are to receive your fund at the installment rate of
$5,000.00 daily until the US$950.000.00 is completely transferred to you accordingly. You are to contact them now
with the bellow information to avoid wrong transaction.Reconfirm your address
(1)Your Full name:............
(2)Your Phone number:.........
(3)Your Contact address:......
(3)Your Country:..............
(4)Your id copy...............
Listen very carefully, tell Mr Raji John that you advise to contact him by Mr
Richard Amed from Ministry Of Finance here in Cotonou Benin ; Bellow is their
Contact Information. Contact with this
information below: CONTACT PERSON: Mr Raji John EMAIL: address :
( m-t-moneygram@outlook.com ) Telephone Number: +229 68808762,Address: 12 Avenue
Island streets, Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Please you to send us the sum of $97 dollars to them for the cost of the
Renewing of your payment Files (RENEWING CHARGE) and immediately you send this
fee $87 dollars do call Mr Raji John +229 68808762 Or Email so that he will
release your payment immediately for you so that you will pick it as well as
you make the payment.
Here are the information you are to use and send the fee $97 dollars via Money
Gram.
RECEIVER NAME------------- EMMANUEL IGWEZE
COUNTRY-------------------BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY-----------------COTONOU
QUESTION-----------2+2
ANSWER----------------=4
MTCN---------------
SENDER NAME---------------
Best regards
Mr Richard Amed
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