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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- pgates455@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. PATRICK GATES." <kenth1@wkm04s6ca.homepage.t-online.de>
Reply-To: <pgates50@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 20:57:23 -0800
Subject: YOUR UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION PAYMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THE YEAR.
Our Ref: CBN-0XX2/987
>From The Desk of
Mr. Patrick Gates
Atm / Wire Transfer Operations Manager and Hiring (CBN)
RE: IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION PAYMENT NOTIFICATION /FINAL NOTICE.
We refer to your Contract Compensation Payment Form "Grade A" approval received from the Office of the Presidency on the above subject; we wish to inform you that your contract payment file under reference has been approved for immediate payment to your nominated bank account or dispatched to you via Atm Card Mode, immediately after final endorsement of your Fund Release Order Document. We hereby approve your compensation fund for the remittance of this payment US$500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) into your nominated bank account. You are therefore advised to provide the following information such:
1) Your Full Name:
2) Phone, Fax and Mobile:
3) Company Name, (if any) Position And Address:
4) Bank Details:
5) Profession, Age and Marital Status:
6) Copy of your Int'l Passport/Driving license
For more directives.
Lastly you are warned to disregard other contact with other offices or Banks unless as being Directed by this Bank, We are very sorry for the plight you have gone through in the past.
Thanks for adhering to these instructions.
Congratulations!
Best Regards.
Mr. Patrick Gates.
Atm Foreign Operations Manager and Hiring of Central Bank of Nigeria.
Email; pgates455@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
