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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:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- 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: Diplomat <"narimasuogawa."@circus.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Diplomat <collinsbooks1@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:23:52 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings
This is Diplomat Lord Janny. I write to inform you that the required
fee of $180 that hold your package in Custom office here in Atlanta
Georgia has been paid. Your consignment box is now Clear from Custom
office. They check other papers and all is complete.
The delay now that hold your consignment box here in Airport is only
$50. for gate pass which i want you now to locate any nearest Western
Union or Money gram immediately you weake up and send it to John Nuru
to load it into my ATM card for me to withdraw it and pay the gate
pass immediately and proceed to your address. Please. I want you to
confirm me your new address if your not still live in old address you
gave to me because you know this delivery delay so much,
So try all you can because we have no any other fee to pay until i
arrive your home with your consignment box. So Please do as matter of
urgent,
Receiver name. John Nuru
Country. Benin
City Porto-novo
Amount$50
Sender name and address.
Please this is very urgent because i already paid Security too. So we
don't have any other delay accept this. Thanks. Diplomat
Lord Janny
Text (505) 300-0224
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