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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "cheque " (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. )
- "dhlcourdeliveryompany@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
- 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Anthony William" <deg@dsl.pipex.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: dhlcourdeliveryompany@outlook.com
Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 12:40:43 +0100
Subject: Attn My Dear Friend
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Attn My Dear Friend.
I have paid the fee for your cheque draft and i took it to the ECO BANK PLC to confirm it then the Manager of the Bank MR BENARD UGO told me that before the check can get to you it will expire on the way and if it expired it will become useless so He advice me to convert $2.5m (TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) into cash and pack it into the strong iron box and deposit it in DHL EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC to deliver it in cash to you. and i did it as he advice me because he is a banker he knows the durability of any foreign check or draft.
I deposited the said package in the DHL Delivery Company as an cotton materials for security reasons. This is the registration Number of your Package Fed/122p/mtm/2019Zip Code;0113388 so do not let the company to know the real contents of the package so that they can deliver it to you safely.
I want you to contact the company immediately with the following in formations though i give them your information but you need to reconfirm it to them.Below is the required information you need to give them now,The delivery charges has been paid but i did not pay their official keeping fees since they refused.
They refused and the reason is that they do not know when you are going to contact them and dumurrage might have increase.They told me that their official keeping fees is $55 per day AND will start counting after two days its deposited and I deposited it Today 26th May.2019.
you have to pay them official keeping fees is $55Usd, so that they can deliver your package to you without any delaying.Call or e-mail him as soon as you send the payment of $55 to below payment info.which they provide and ask me to give to you to send the fee via western union or MoneyGram:
Receiver: ZULU DINO
Country: Benin republic.
City: Cotonou
Amount: $55 US Dollars
Text Question: A?
Answer: B
SENDER NAME
MTCN
Amt...$55 only
Also,remember to fill below information and send together with the payment mtcn and senders name:
1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.HOME ADDRESS .
3.YOUR COUNTRY
4.YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT
5.YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
A COPY OF YOUR PHOTO
7.YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS
8.YOUR OCCUPATION
All these things is needed from you now to submit to the company for urgent delivery of your package contains $2.5M Please contact the delivery company immediately and reconfirm your info to them to enable their agent locate you when he arrived in your country.This is the company contact info.
Email: dhlcourdeliveryompany@outlook.com
Tel:+229-91819712 Dr.Frank Tony Director General
DHL Express Delivery Cotonou Benin Republic.
Please contact the company immediately you receive this email so that your package will leave tonight to be deliver to you.
Get back to me as soon as you receive your package from the company.
God Bless you.
Mr.Anthony William
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