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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:
- "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. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
- +447011182776 (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.
- keithmarsden1@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Western Union Money Transfer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <keithmarsden1@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:45:34 +0100
Subject: Daily Payment via Western Union
ATTENTION
THE MANAGEMENT OF CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA PLC, WISHES TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF YOUR CONFIRMED BANK DRAFT CHEQUE ISSUED IN YOUR FAVOUR WITH CASH AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS, FROM YOUR AGENT AND HE TOLD US TO ARRANGE YOUR PAYMENT TO BE AVAILABLE BY WESTERN UNION DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU CAN NOT BE ABLE TO CASH THE TOTAL $1.5MILLION CHEQUE,
YOU ARE NOW ADVISED TO CONTACT WESTERN UNION OFFICE IMMEDIATELY AND SEND THEM YOUR DETAILS WHERE THEY CAN START SENDING YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU AS WE BOOKED WITH WESTERN UNION OFFICE TO START REMITTING YOUR PAYMENT RIGHT FROM TOMORROW IF POSSIBLE YOU CONTACT THEM AS TODAY: THE AMOUNT THEY WILL SEND YOU EVERY DAY IS $5000.00 US Dollars .TILL YOU RECEIVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF YOUR $1.500.000.00 CHEQUE.
HOWEVER YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THE DIRECTOR OF WESTERN UNION OFFICE.
CONTACT PERSON: Mr Keith Marsden
EMAIL: keithmarsden1@yahoo.co.jp
Phone + 44 701 118 2776
SO BEFORE THEY CAN PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT BY TOMORROW YOU ARE ADVISED TO EFFECT THE SUM OF $185US DOLLARS TO THEM TO ENABLE THEM REVENUE THE CHEQUE AND START SENDING IT TO YOU IMMEDIATELY TOMORROW. BELOW IS THE INFORMATION REQUESTED.
RECEIVER NAME..........
CITY..............................
COUNTRY......................
GENDER........................
TELEPHONE..................
QUESTION TEST............
ANSWER.......................
THE DIRECTOR OF WESTERN UNION REV KELVIN WILLY EMAIL YOU WITH THE TRACKING DETAILS YOU NEED TO PICK YOUR A DAY PAYMENT OVER THERE. THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE IS NOW WAITING FOR YOUR DETAILS WHERE THEY CAN START SENDING YOUR A DAY PAYMENT FROM TOMORROW.
THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR GREGORY ROBERT.
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