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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
- 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.
- paymento@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Payment Office" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paymento@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2020 09:47:19 -0800
Subject: ATM MASTER
Attn:Payment Notification,
Due to the bad network we having here in Africa we could not be able to complete your transfer through Bank Online Transfer and western union payment as we programmed. Our network here will not carry on the programming, so we decided to use ATM MASTER CARD method to finalize the transaction.
We have issued an ATM MASTER CARD in your name and uploaded your total fund of (US$4.500.000.00) Four Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) in the Card and you will be withdrawing it from any ATM MACHINE. The ATM MASTER CARD works worldwide and the daily amount according to our programming system is (US$5000.00) five Thousand Dollars only.
I am Rev.Jimto Johnson. we have made the delivery arrangement with DHL DELIVERY COMPANY NIGERIA that will carry on the delivery to your given address and the Director DHL told me that Delivery Cost of the ATM MASTER CARD to your house is (US$165.00) and he assured me that their Company takes good 3-days to complete any delivery registered with accurate address. So you are advised to re-confirm your address along with the delivery charge of the ATM CARD,
Re-confirmm such as follow:
Full Name:_____________
Home Address:__________
Country:_______________
State:_________________
City:__________________
Zipcode:_______________
Telephone Number:______
Send the Delivery charge of your ATM MASTER through Western Union Money Transfer to the following name:
Receiver Name: ANTHONY OVELI
Country:... NIGERIA
Test Question:... In God
Test Answer:... We Trust.
Amount:.. US$165.00
MTCN#..
SENDER'S NAME:...
Please your urgent reply will be appreciated for immediate register of your ATM CARD.
Regard
Rev.Jimto Johnson
EcoBANK INTERNATIONAL
Ecobank Heights Plot 87 Ajose
Adeogun Street,LAGOS Nigeria
Email: ( paymento@aol.com )
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