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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:
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- atm.dept001@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "ATM PAYMENT CENTER" <atmpayment@gmail.com>
Reply-To: atm_dept0100@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:06:57 -0500
Subject: NOTICE!!!
OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.
DEAR BENEFICIARY:
THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR FILE AND IN
RESPECT OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUND RECOVERED BY THE CENTRAL BANK FROM THE
DEPOSITED BANK.AFTER THE CENTRAL BANK AUDIT THIS ECONOMIC YEAR A TOTAL PART
PAYMENT OF 850.000.00, USD HAS BEEN APPROVED TO BE PAID TO YOUR FAMILY.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER
ASIA PACIFIC THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR.PRESIDENT,UMARU YAR'ADUA
(GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE FBI.
THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW
YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS
$5000 USD PER DAY, SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US
KNOW BY CONTACTING THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT CARD PAYMENT
CENTER.
SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
MR RICARD MAXWELL
(atm.dept001@yahoo.com.hk)
Phone +234-80-782-25-906
1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD:
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION:
5. AGE:
KINDEST REGARDS,
ALHAJI MANSUR MUHTAR
HONORABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE.
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Anti-fraud resources:
