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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
- moneygram2237@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: moneygram-office <"moneygram."@estate.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: moneygram-office <moneygram2237@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2017 03:56:24 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attn Beneficiary!!
Dear Customer,
Money gram remitting office, We have received your email, And
here is the first payment of $5,000 USD. but you have to pay for the
REACTIVATION TRANSFER FILE on the sum OF $159 ONLY. Before you can pick up your first
payment of$5,000 USD.You will be picking $5000 until your total fund of $4.7m is completed. And you have to track it with this or call Money Gram store to verify that your fund is available to pick up.
tracking.(https://secure.moneygram.com/track) You have to track it
with Sender last Name.
Use the below info to pick up your money now.
Reference #: 94 57 53 79
Amount: $5,000 USD
Text question: Sent
Text answer: Yes
Sender name.... Mark Ambros
Senders address: same as above
Below is the information to send the $159 dollars via MONEY GRAM transfer only.
RECEIVER NAME: Ken Alex
COUNTRY: Benin Republic
CITY: Cotonou
AMOUNT: $159
Senders name======
MTCN:
Sender Country:
email me once you are back from Money Gram.
DIRECTOR: GENERAL Dr. Sigurston Brent
EMAIL ADDRESS: moneygram2237@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
