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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:
- "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "customercare_apex1@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Thanks james uba <office----file9893@att.net>
Reply-To: customercare_apex1@w.cn
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:09:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: SECRETARY FELIX AGU
Good day,
I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Bank
Draft but did not heard from you since that time then I went and deposited
the Draft with Apex Bank Plc here in Benin Republic, because I travelled to
Japan to see my boss and will not come back till next month end. I have
arranged with them to make your payment to you with their new ATM
MASTER CARD which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM MACHINE
around the globe. You have to contact the Apex Bank
Plc with your full contact informations such as follows.
1. FULL NAME
2. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
3 PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION
However, Kindly contact the below person who is in position to release
yourATM CARD.
REV DR.PHILLIP OKOH DIRECTOR,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT APEX BANK
MOBILE : 229 98928266
EMAIL: (customercare_apex1@w.cn)
I have paid for the processing and delivery charges.The only Money that
your are going to pay to them is only $96 Dollars which they will use
to obtain the Affidevit Of Onwership from the Federal High Court Of Benin
Republic. Try to contact them as soon as possible to quicken the processing of
your card before your draft gets Expired . Let me know as soon as you
receive your Card.
Thanks james uba
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