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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "lagos" (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.
- 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "DHL International Nigeria" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <customers_care@e-mail.ua>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:59:12 -0800
Subject: DHL International Nigeria
DHL International Nigeria
Lot No. 23 Patte D'Oie
03 BP 2147Lagos
Website:www.dhl.com
+2348131540269
Dear Customer:
You are welcome to DHL COURIER COMPANY LTD with world wide delivery at its best. We are pleased to be at your service. DHL COURIER COMPANY LTD is Regulated and Stipulated by the Delivery Service Authority(DSA),the delivery institutions that REGULATES all delivery activities in the Nigeria.This office has been Notified by your partner of Your ATM CARD deposited in our company With code (8119) for the delivery to your nominated as reconfirmed below.
This is to inform you that we have receive your mail now regarding your CARD that was deposited in our company but there is no much problem in this matter because i believe that all is alright now , thanks for your kind respond and to avoid much delaying we received your email very clear and well understood because we have your parcel of fund deposited in our custody here by one ,Gipson Ohms from Oceanic bank Plc.
Secondly; as this mail is coming to you now we have recorded your address and your phone number to our record file, and your ATM card is well ready to deliver to you but the only thing holding your ATM card now is the sum of $100 which was made for our official keeping charges because ,Gipson Ohms the depositor have paid us for the delivery fee and the rest charges but the only thing you have to pay for is our official keeping fee of $100.
And be inform that immediately we receive this fee from you that your parcel of your ATM card will get to your address after 24hours we receive this official keeping fee from you so you are to send us the fee via Western Union money transfer with below instruction to make it faster to enable us carry on with your delivery at the same time.
Others arrangement of shipping the ATM card to your address is well concluded with the depositor and the only thing delaying now is our security keeping fee of $100 because the depositor inform you that the keeping is $100 per day but you are ask to pay for only today as you have contact us today.
Lastly; Be earlier inform that the more you delay to send this official keeping fee is the more the fee is increasing so try send the $100. today so that by this time tomorrow or next you will receive the package from our diplomatic agent.
PAYMENT INSTRUCTION (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER).OR MONEY GRAM
RECEIVERS NAME : JOHN KING
COUNTRY : Nigeria
CITY : Lagos
QUESTION : IN GOD
ANSWER : WE TRUST
Amount To Send; $100
PAYMENT DETAILS TO SEND TO US.
Money transfer control number (MTCN)
Senders Name
Senders address.
MODE OF DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY.
As soon as we Receive the official keeping charges of $100 Our international Diplomat agent will depart Nigeria with your package and proceed and your Shipment Airway bill will be sent to you immediately to track your Cargo to your given address within 24Hours . Our Diplomat agent will call you on his arrival to your country to hand over your ATM to you.
Micheal Burton
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Anti-fraud resources:
