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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.
- The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "vittorio fondazione" (not involved with lotteries)
- "vittorio foundation" (not involved with lotteries)
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- +447045727352 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- airmaxexpressdeliveryservice1@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Foundazion Di Vittorio" <airmaxexpressdeliveryservice@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:22:44 +0100
Subject: Claim Your Prize With Your Order Number.37096218
VITTORIO FONDAZIONE.
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,
Ferrara 44100 - Italy.
Foundation's Officer,
Fondazion Di Vittorio, ITALY
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it
Congratulations The Foundazion Di Vittorio, would like to
notify you that you have been chosen by the board of
trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash
Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational,and
business development.Congratulations once again from all the
staff here on your cash award sum of US$500,000 (Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) as charity
donations/aid from the Vittorio Foundation, ECOWAS, EU and
the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament
which your e-mail addres was randomly selected by software
powered by the Internet.Your email address was amongst those
chosen this quarter and you are to contact AFFILIATED
COURIER COMPANY for the delivery of your certificate and
cheque of US$500,000.
For further details on how to receive your grant,Please
contact the COURIER COMPANY why contacting them include this
order Number 37096218.
Mr.Maxwell Rikky(dispatch officer)
airmaxexpressdeliveryservice1@yahoo.com.hk
Tel:TEL:+44 704 5727 352
FILL YOUR INFORMATION CAREFULLY.
1. FULL NAMES:
2. ADDRESS:
3. SEX:
4. AGE:
5. MARITAL STATUS:
6. OCCUPATION :
7. E-MAIL ADDRESS:
8. TELEPHONE NUMBER(S): FAX:
9. COUNTRY:
10 COMPANY IN ANY:
11 ORDER NUMBER:
Congratulations On behalf of all members of the Foundazion
Di Vittorio.
Yours Truly,
Mrs Rosemary Cole.
Online Grant Co-ordinator
The Foundazion Di Vittorio
Anti-fraud resources:
