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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:
- "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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- +22996478669 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: Office Files <kumpelarno2002@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: henryreddy_00@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:15:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Mr. John Tony
>From Mr. John Tony
Dear friend
Good day I have been waiting for you since in regards to your Draft worth of $46 Million Dollars that was with the bank,i was waiting for to come down here and pick your Bank Draft but did not heard from you since that time ,then I went and deposited your Draft with UPS Company here in Benin Republic , because I travelled to Iraq to see for a assignment and will not come back till next month end. You have to contact the UPS Company to know when they will deliver your package .I have paid for the delivering charges and insurance fee.Remeber we early informed about the 3 gentle men who lies to us you are dead,this was your Draft of $46 million was deposited with the UPS company for urgent delivery before things gone out of hands.
Contact person Dr.Duru Wolf
E-mail: ups.1975@live.com
Tel; +22996478669
Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX This is what they need from you.
1.YOUR FULL NAME.
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
5.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE.
6.YOUR AGE.
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid delay.I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake in the delivering. Let me know as soon as you receive your Draft .Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Mr.John Tony
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