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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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.
- 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.
- diplomateagennts@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "diplomat Harrison Walter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <diplomateagennts@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2018 16:21:42 +1000
Subject: UNITED NATION diplomat Harrison Walter
Attn: Dear
I’m diplomat Harrison Walter ; I have been trying to reach you on your
telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival
in your country i am now in JFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport with
your two boxes of consignment worth $ FOUR MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS which I have been instructed by ECOWAS DELIVERY COMPANY to be
delivered to you.
The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to
them that the fund is no way related with drug or fraud money, I have
presented the papers, I handed to them and they are very much pleased with
the paper’s I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here is
the airport delivery Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the
Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery tag so that I can exit
the airport immediately and make your delivery successful.
I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag will cost us just
$ 165 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag will
enable me get to your house successfully without any interference, they
scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100 % spend able and
accepted by any bank in the whole world. Please try and reach me with my
email: diplomateagennts@hotmail.com as I can not afford to spend more time
here due to other delivery I have to take care of in Bangkok and CHINA. Here
are the papers backing the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany
you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully with these
papers.
I have all the vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy
when I reach your house as that it’s the diplomatic rules, such as
authorization to deliver. You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as
they will get it in Federal Republic of Nigeria, for you and they are
entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign countries authority.
CONTACT ME NOW IN MY EMAIL: diplomateagennts@hotmail.com
Receiver .
Country: Nigeria.
City:Lagos.
Amount $ 165 US Dollars
Text Question: Who is our saviour?
Answer:The Lord Jesus.
SENDER NAME
MTCN
I am waiting for you very urgent to make the payment and notify me so that i
will notify the Airport Authority in Lagos Nigeria to issue the delivery tag
so i can submit to the customs here in John F. Kennedy International
Airport so they will allow me to start coming to your address immediately
and deliver your consignment box to you.
Regard UNITED NATION diplomat Harrison Walter
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