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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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- 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.
- mrtundelm48@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- lemo atm visa card activation office nigeria e-mail: mrtundelm48@gmail.com or atmvisacardofficenigeria@yahoo.com phone: +234 (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officeunitednations26@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:22:13 -0800
Subject: RE:UNITED NATIONS OFFICE
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE
801 SECOND AVENUE, 2nd FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10017 USA
Atten:
YOU HAVE TO CONTACT MR.TUNDE LEMO FOR YOUR ATM VISA CARD. DURING THE UNITED NATIONS MEETING ON 16TH TO 22ND NOV,2009 HELD AT ENGLAND WE CONCLUDED AND NOMINATED MR. TUNDE LEMO TO HANDEL THE RELEASE OF YOUR INHERITANCE ATM VISA CARD TO YOU.
YOU ARE ADVICE TO CONTACT MR.TUNDE LEMO TODAY THROUGH HIS DIRECT PHONE NUMBERS OF BY E-MAILS;
MR. TUNDE LEMO
ATM VISA CARD ACTIVATION OFFICE NIGERIA
E-MAIL: mrtundelm48@gmail.com
or
atmvisacardofficenigeria@yahoo.com
PHONE: +234 8026055747
GET BACK TO THIS OFFICE ON A RETURN MAIL AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT THE ACTIVATION OFFICER.
THANKS
Mr. ANTHONY WALTON,
UN VICE CHAIRMAN
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Anti-fraud resources:
