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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:
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Herman Bull" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info@bankchinahk.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2016 08:40:49 +0100
Subject: Re: Mr. Levite C Author Contact Bank Bank of China Hong Kong for payment of $15,000,000
Fund owner.
Good day to you, We have great news for you Pursuant to the fact that you have not received your over due fund globally so after our meeting today with World Respected offices concerned about ensuring that you receive your funds as the rightful beneficiary.
We are pleased to inform you that your fund have been approved to be paid to you by Asia Biggest bank meanwhile your payment is to be made to you through MT103 transfer or optional you a cashier cheque cashable can be sent to you or you can be paid through ATM VISA Card functional in any machine in the world .
The transfer will be done through our offshore corresponding bank in Hong Kong Asia since we are not at liberty to do a direct wire transfer of such amount from here to avoid any further delay in releasing your fund directly to you.
In light of the above, a priority payment instruction has been dully issued to our China bank of Hong Kong to debit our account and credit the mentioned amount to your personal account been your payment as soon as you coontact them via their contact details below with your personal informations.
Upon receipt of this mail kindly contact with the bank with your personal details such as your full Name...Home Address..Telephone..Nationality and indicate how you wish to receive your fund.
Bank of China Hong Kong
Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road, Hong Kong
Email: info@bankchinahk.com
Kindly update us as soon as you have contact the bank for your onward payment for further advise.
Yours in Services
Barr Herman Bull
Information's officer on funds released.
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