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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:
- "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. )
- 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 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.
- gustave.monaldi@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Gustave Monaldi <"www."@gamma.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Gustave Monaldi <gustave.monaldi@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2016 18:43:35 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Head Payment Alert Centre.
Attn:Code 23
Your name has been found in our Data among the list of unpaid foreign recipients dating back to the year 2014/2016 in republic of Benin and other West African countries.
Thereby the government has allocated an initial expense payment of $850,000 to 36 recipients and you are among those recipients short listed to receive the expense payment of $850,000.00 between the 17th and the 24th of the month.
Your expense payment of $850,000.00 has been allocated to be paid to you either through wire transfer,cheque or western union transfer.
You are to note that if you want your payment through western union you will be paid $5000 daily on all days except on weekends.You will have to provide an identification of yourself and obtain a claim/verification tag from here on or before the 5th
It is very important you state specifically how you would want to receive the $850,000.00 and provide details immediately as stated below;
Your full names
Contact address
Telephone number
You should contact/reply us through our private email address at( gustave.monaldi@gmail.com) I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Faithfully,
Gustave Monaldi
Head Payment Alert Centre.
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