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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- jeffmartins930@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Dr martins <www.@sepia.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Dr martins <foreignexchangedepartment.arkansas@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2018 22:58:57 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good day and compliments to you
Good day and compliments to you. we have receive your message concerning your DHL Courier and Shipping Card which we have confirmed the receipt of your mail and we am hereby Acknowledge to informed you that your $8.5M ATM Card has to be Converted and carried among-st batch CAC-52 schedule for delivery to your address which you send to the above ATM office,so please we urge you to try your best and pay for the posting fee which is $450 enable our office that is in responsible for your posting to post it immediately because the reason why your card is still in our office is because of the posting fee and i promise that once the fee is made we will post it immediately without any further delay
payment information for the posting of your card
receivers name mamadou cisse
country name Benin Republic
City Name Cotonou
Amount $350
Mean of payment money gram or
alternatively western union
thanks
Dr Jeff Martins
jeffmartins930@gmail.com
+1(321) 295-8809
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Anti-fraud resources:
