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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:
- "million dollars" (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)
- "certified bank draft" (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.
- 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.
- davsylvester004@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ego Ocha" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davsylvester004@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:09:46 -0800
Subject: CONTACT IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR NEW ATM CARD
Attention:
I write to inform you that I have your Certified Bank Draft here in my office to send to you as directed. I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick up your Bank Draft of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (1.5Million Dollars) but did not hear from you for a long time now. Well, I want you to know that I have deposited the Bank Draft to the Bank, because I will be traveling out of the country for my year course and will not come back till June 2017.
Now I have arranged with the Bank to make your payment to you with their new ATM CARD which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM MACHINE around the globe/world and what you will be withdrawing Daily is $4,000 USD every day. So You have to contact Dr David Sylvester, United Nations Payment Agent to the Bank with your full contact information's such as follows:
(1) YOUR FULL NAME
(2) YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
(3) YOUR PHONE NUMBER
(4) YOUR OCCUPATION
(5) YOUR AGE
(6) YOUR STATE
(7) YOUR COUNTRY
Contact Dr. David Sylvester, United Nations ATM Payment Agent. He is in charge for the issuing and the delivery of your ATM CARD.
Contact E-mail: davsylvester004@gmail.com
DR. DAVID G. SYLVESTER the United Nations Payment Agent.
Contact him for your New ATM Card as soon as possible to quicken the process of your ATM Card before your Bank Draft gets Expired. Let me know as soon as you receive your ATM Master Card.
Thank you and may the good lord be with you
Regards,
Ego Ocha
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