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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.
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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 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.
- +22998947550 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- dhlexpresscouriercom@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "BARR. TONY WILLIAMS." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dhlexpresscouriercom@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:22:02 +0100
Subject: Attn: My Dear Friend,
Attn: My Dear Friend,
I have paid the fee for your cheque draft and I took it to the FINANCIAL BANK PLC to confirm it then the Manager of the Bank MR BENARD EZEUGO told me that before the check can get to you it will expire on the way and if it expired it will become useless so He advice me to convert $5.2m (FIVE MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) into cash and pack it into the strong iron box and deposit it in DHL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC to deliver it in cash to you. and I did it as he advice me because he is a banker he knows the durability of any foriegn check or draft.
I deposited the said package in the DHL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY as an cotton materials for secuirty reasons. This is the registration Number of your Package DHL/122p/mtm/2009 Zip Code;0113388 so do not let the company to know the real contents of the package so that they can deliver it for you safely. I want you to contact the company immediately with the following informations though I give them your information but you need to re-confirm it for them.
Below is the required infomation you need to give them now,
1.YOUR FULL NAME AND HOME ADDRESS:
2.YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
3.A COPY OF YOUR INT'L PASSPORT/ ID
4.YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS:
5.YOUR COUNTRY AND CITY:
All these things is what they needed from you now to submmit to the company for urgent delivery of your package contains $5.2M Please contact the delivery company immediately and re-confirm your info to them to enable their agent locate you when he arrived in your country.This is the company contact info.
DR. JERRY LEO (Director General)
Tel;+229 989 47550
Email;(dhlexpresscouriercom@gmail.com)
DHL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY Benin Republic. Please contact the company immediately you receive this email so that your package will leave tonight to be deliver to you.Get back to me as soon as you receive your package from the company.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS
BARR. TONY WILLIAMS
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