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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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. )
- This email message is a "Yukos oil" scam. The criminals who send such emails have no connection to Yukos Oil. The emails are usually sent from Nigeria. The only money that ever changes hands in this scam is from you to the criminals.
- 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.
- barristerjosephchambers1@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: joel.kaczinski@mchsi.com (BARRISTER JOSEPH DAUDU CHAMBER)
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 08:07:39 +0000
Subject: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION........
BARRISTER JOSEPH DAUDU (SAN) IS MY NAME, THE ATTORNEY TO THE EX-GOVERNOR OF THE
REACH OIL PRODUCING STATE OF NIGERIA (DELTA STATE) CHIEF JAMES ONANEFE IBORI WHO
IS PRESENTLY FACING THE CASE OF MONEY LAUNDERING WITH THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT,
KADUNA,NIGERIA. I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS OF A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDS WHICH HE HANDED
OVER TO ME BEFORE HE WAS DETAINED AND ONE NEW ABOUT IT, EXCEPT ME.
HE DEED INFORM ME TO LOOK FOR A TRUST WORTHY FOREIGNER THAT WILL STAND AS THE
BENEFICIARY TO THE SAID FUNDS WHICH IS PRESENTLY WITH A BANK IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM AS HE IS PRESENTLY BEING MORNITORD BY THE GOVERNMENT. AS A LEGAL
PROFESSIONAL I HAVE CAREFULLY MAPPED OUT PROCEDURES FOR THIS TRANSACTION. I AM
CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST ME TO RE-PROFILE THE FUNDS AND EQUALLY INVEST SAME ON
HIS BEHALF.THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS TO BE RE-PROFILED IS FORTY SIX MILLION
DOLLARS (USD$46,000,000.00) AND YOU WILL BE PAID 20% FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT
SERVICES.AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE IN MY PERSONAL E-MAIL
barristerjosephchambers1@googlemail.com I WILL SEND YOU THE NECESSARY DETAILS
AND MY IDENTIFICATION.
BARRISTER JOSEPH DAUDU (SAN).
Anti-fraud resources:
