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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:
- "million 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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- johnson.ezeh@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Johnson Ezeh" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnson.ezeh@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2019 17:34:12 -0700
Subject: Urgent Reply Needed
Attention:
PLEASE YOU ARE ADVICE TO READ THIS MESSAGE CAREFULLY BEFORE REPLYING
There is an issue with the UBA transfer department in full inheritance payment
of $5.8 Million united state dollars directed in cash credited to file
KTU/9023118308 at the owner of this email address and it was scheduled earlier
to pay you via International online bank transfer, It became imperative to
contact you on the subject matter because after the fund has been brought to
our office for remit, somebody from your country by name Charles Porter
contacted us and said you are on sick bed and ordered him to contact us to
remit the USD$5.8 Million using his information to pick up your fund presently
under our custody for transfer on your behalf. The Official responsible for the
presentation of your money valued USD$5.8 Million inheritance quickly granted
approvals to their application now waiting for final endorsement from Board of
Trustees.
When our UBA Debit Note was submitted to my desk for final Approvals before
forwarding it to Board for endorsement, I noticed that there are discrepancies
as there was no evidence of authorization letter from you for Charles Porter to
receive the fund on your behalf. I urgently summoned The Official responsible
for the presentation of the winning and directed him to stop the movement of
the funds and at the same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds
pending when your views and comments are received with regards to this matter.
I hereby urged you to call or email me urgently for your comments which will be
highly appreciated if you are still alive or not on sick bed to commence with
your payment accordingly, because we will not hesitate to continue the payment
transfer activation with the name of the gentleman on claim if no response
comes from you. Contact me on this e-mail ( johnson.ezeh@aol.com )as your
silence will be a clear indication that you authorized him to effect the above
changes.
Also fill the information below to help us facilitate your payment
1) Your Full Name...
2) Country and City:
3) Phone:.
3) Home/ Office Address:....
4) Profession/Occupation and Age:.......
YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED.
REGARDS,
Johnson Ezeh
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
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