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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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "western.unionoffice@onet.eu" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "western.unionoffice@onet.eu" (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.
- 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.
- 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: "Dr.Anne Johnson" <Johnsonan@aroma.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Dr.Anne Johnson" <western.unionoffice@onet.eu>
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2016 08:50:44 +0900 (JST)
Subject: YOUR FIRST PAYMENT HAS BEING SENT TO YOU AMOUNT $5,000 USD
MTCN:9422289046
HEAD OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 0941 SHINAFI HUSA ROAD COTONOU. TELL:
(+229-9854-6675)Email Address (western.unionoffice@onet.eu)
DEAR CUSTOMER
THIS IS TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT CONCERNING YOUR PAYMENT
THAT ARE LEFT IN OUR CUSTODY WHICH YOURS ARE INCLUSIVE NOTE, YOUR WHERE
GIVEN A BIG BILL OF $235 USD IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT OF WHICH WE
DIDN'T HEAR FROM YOU FOR LONG.
MEANWHILE, WESTERN UNION IS NOW GIVEN A SPECIAL BONUS TO HELP ALL OUR
CUSTOMERS THAT ARE HAVING THEIR PAYMENT IN OUR CUSTODY DUE TO HIGH PRICES.
IN ORDER WORDS WE ARE NOW REQUESTING THAT THOSE INVOLVE SHOULD PAY ONLY SUM
OF$55 USD TO RECEIVE ALL THEIR PAYMENT ABANDONED IN OUR CUSTODY.
REMEMBER, THIS IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COMPLY AND YOUR FUNDS
SHALL BE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED ADDRESS WITHIN 45 MINUTE.
BUT REMEMBER THAT AFTER (3 DAYS) OF DURATION, IF YOU DID NOT MAKE THE
PAYMENT THEN WE WILL DIVERT YOUR FUNDS TO THE GOVERNMENT TREASURE ACCOUNT,
TO AVOID PROBLEM OR WE WILL CANCEL THE PAYMENT FOR THIS SEASON. SO BE
ADVISE TO SEND THE$55 USD MMEDIATELY SO THAT WE SHALL REGISTER YOUR
PAYMENT AND YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT $5000 AS FROM TODAY.
BE ADVISE THAT THERE IS NO TIME AGAIN FOR WE TO CALL ANY ONE ON PHONE
UNLESS YOU WILL CALL (+229-9854-6675) AFTER YOU MADE THE PAYMENT
SO THAT YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR MONEY EVERY DAY $5000 USD THROUGH
WESTERN UNION UNTIL YOUR FULL PAYMENT OF $1.5MLION DOLLARS IS COMPLETED
TRANSFERRED. DAILY PAYMENT USED $5000 ONLY.
HERE IS THE INFORMATION FOR YOU TO USE AND SEND THE $55 TODAY THROUGH WESTERN UNION
TRANSFER WITH BELOW INFORMATION:
RECEIVER NAME......... JOSEPH UDE
COUNTRY...........BENIN Republic
LOCATION................COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION== HOW LONG
ANSWER...............TODAY
AMOUNT...............$55 usd
THE MOMENT WE RECEIVE THE PAYMENT OF $55 usd WE SHALL RELEASE THE FIRST
PAYMENT INFORMATIONS OF $5000.00 USD ONLY) TO YOU TODAY.
THANKS FOR KIND ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION.
REGARDS
MR.Bill Martin
MANAGING DIRECTOR WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT
DIRECT LINE:: (+229-9854-6675)
Email Address (western.unionoffice@onet.eu)
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