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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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "security keeping 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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: UPS OFFICE <rubenpmoussa@gmail.com>
Reply-To: UPS OFFICE <upsoffic163@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 20:34:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Call me once you read this mail 718) 737-9526 OR text
Number 1 chase plaza 2nd Floor 10003 New York
United State of America
Contact Person: Mr. Milton Lopez
We have received in the evening yesterday from our international partner in the company CHRONO TOP OF BENIN two officers who landed in our office here in New York to issue you a package containing a briefcase and an envelope containing in the briefcase is $3.5m (Three Million- Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) while in the envelope is a world bank draft of $1.5m (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) which can be cashed/withdraw at any competent bank in your country.
They were supposed to have completed the delivery to you in person there at your address but they failed due to their time frame visa stay in the U.S. which they transited to here to dispatch some other package delivery before taking off to deliver to you but as they still had a few opportunities left once more their entry visa could not be more than 48 hours since they had just come to make a delivery and due to this such incident was why they have to partner with us to ensure complete delivery to their customer’s door-step according to the new custom grid on diplomats from Africans due to some security reasons.
The two officers Mrs. Omar Tunde and Charles Akim left immediately after depositing to our confident the above mentioned belongings on your favor that we can pass it on to you. But before we can proceed in locating you to your house for the final delivery to you, you will have to send company CHRONO TOP OF BENIN sum $298 for your legal ownership permit order from their head office there in Benin Republic accordingly to our signed agreement with their Chief Director Barr. Jerry Buchi before they ever started partnering with us to ensure that we are dealing with the rightful owner of any valuable they deposit with us to avoid delivery it to wrong person.
Note: the $298 is the only fee you will be required to pay for us to complete your delivery to your door-step upon the receipt of a signed legal ownership permit letter from Benin, without it we can not complete the delivery to you and after three days of the deposit in our office your packages will automatically start accumulating demurrage charges for our security keeping fee of you packages which you must pay whenever you come back for your parcels claim or else we will be forced to retain or return it back to Benin the origin.
You are now required to get back to us with your current delivery address such as
1. Your Full Name _______
2. House/Office Address_______
3. Direct Telephone Number________
4. A Copy Your Identity_______
Your immediate respond to this email will be highly appreciated as we count on you for us to complete the delivery to you, meanwhile you can even come over to our office in person for your claim once you have obtained the legal ownership permit from Benin office.
Call me once you read this mail 718) 737-9526
Mr. Milton Lopez
Branch Manager UPS Department, New York City, USA.
Tel: 718) 737-9526
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