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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million 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)
- "contact the diplomat" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- 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.
- diplomatbencoke1@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Donald Duke <hr@mail.yamoffice.yam.com>
Reply-To: <diplomatbencoke1@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:40:50 -0700
Subject: THE DIPLOMAT CONVEYING YOUR PACKAGE IS CURRENTLY STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT
Attention,
I am barrister Donald Duke, I work with Benin Embassy here in Benin Republic, A delivery agent by name John Parker came down last week from your country with consignment contained $5.5 Million Dollars. He submitted the package to our office on his arrival and later on his body was found dead in a ghastly auto crash in the city.
So we decided to send the package back to your country via diplomatic service as we couldn't find the beneficiary because there is no other way to locate you in respect of the package, the only information we have about you is your email ID which he wrote somewhere in the papers attached to the package. So we are emailing you in respect of this to know if you are the rightful owner of the consignment so that you can contact the assigned senior diplomat who arrive your country with the package a while ago.
Please if you are the owner kindly contact the diplomat by E-mail (diplomatbencoke1@yahoo.co.jp) and reconfirm your full information such as your name your home address, your contact phone number and nearest airport to enable him deliver the package to you safely; the diplomat is stranded so try and get in contact with him immediately.
Best Regard
Donald Duke.
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