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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "affidavit of guarantee" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- info.gregj@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR. GREG JOHNSON" <officefile---45124@att.net>
Reply-To: info.gregj@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 05:33:13 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Claim of FUNDS---
Date: 03- 03 2011Â Â Â Â Â
From The Desk
Of: Dr. Greg Johnson
Financial Activities Monitored.
Cotonou –BENIN
ATTN: BENEFICIARY,
We got to know about your person via Western Union/Money Gram drive that
was conducted to investigate all the money that was sent to Republic of
Benin between January 2010 to 2011. In the cause of our investigation
it has come to our knowledge that you are involved in the claim of FUNDS
and have paid out some money to different unknown people and we have
been able to come up with some good result about the people that have
extorted money from you illegally.
In case you are currently dealing with any one of them regarding your
fund, we urge you to stop further contact with them as you are taking a
very big risk and it might interest you to know that you will never get
the fund from them as they have nothing to offer you .The hoodlums will
continue coming up with expenses and thereby requesting for money from
you until you go Bankrupt.
 I wish to inform you of the new decision taking by the Governments to
return the sum of us $10.000.00USD to 20 victims from the money which
was recovered from some of the impostors . In order to follow the normal
court rules you are advice to contact me back with the payment details
and all your informations so that i will forward it to Barrister.Tony
Jaja Designation: Legal Practitioner & Senior Advocate Address:
B.H.C. S Office Chambers carry 12 Cotonou Avenue Ro presidencies BENIN
and Indicate your telephone numbers and resident Address while
contacting me because contacting the barrister is not Important.
Note you are to bear the cost of the fee for the affidavit of Guarantee
$27Â - and on the confirmation of the affidavit from the BENIN High
court you are to submit the affidavit to us via email: (
info.gregj@gmail.com )Â Â along with account information on where you
will receive the payment. And you are require to send the requested fee
with the below details with my name:
1.RECEIVER NAME---Kelvin O. Omokwe
2.COUNTRY-- BENIN REPUBLIC.
3.CITY---COTONOU .Add :--NO 123 SEGBEYA cotonou -Benin.
5.TEXT QUESTION--what colure Â
6.TEXT ANSWER---white
7.Amount---$27Â -
Best regards as we are waiting to receive the duplicate copy of your
affidavit of guarantee and account information to enable us release the
money to you. Please as soon as you have send the requested fee, try to
forward us the MTCN/ Western union Payment slip.
Waiting to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
Dr. Greg JohnsonÂ
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