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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "REV. TOBIAS TERRY" <dwntwnlbrn@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: revtobiasterry@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:37:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: BEST WISHES FROM REV. TOBIAS TERRY.
IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
ATTENTION:PROVISION OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR LEGAL COVER/ PROTECTION OF US$15.5M IN FAVOR OF YOU
I AM REV. TOBIAS TERRY NEWLY OPPOINTED DIRECTOR AND I JUST STUMBLED ON YOUR PAYMENT FILE NOW AS UN-PAID AND TO MY SURPRISE YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAID AND I HAD TO CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING AND AFTER A SERIOUS AND LENGTHY MEETING TODAY HELD BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON YOUR BEHALF IT WAS DECIDED IN YOUR OWN FAVOR AND BEST INTEREST TO REDUCE THE PAYMENT FOR THE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE TO $75 SO THAT YOU CAN MEET UP WITH THE PAYMENT PLEASE YOU ARE GIVEN ONLY 24HOURS TO DO THIS PAYMENT SO WE CAN RELEASE YOUR $15.5M US IN OUR CARE SO WE ADVICE YOU TO PAY THE $75 THROUGH THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME
RECEIVERS NAME: OKAFOR PHILIP
SENDERS NAME: SENDERS ADDRESS:
TEXT QUESTION: WATCH
TEXT ANSWER: PRAY
AMOUNT: $75
STATE:LAGOS STATE
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
M.T.C.N NUMBER
PLEASE GO AND SEND IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEND TO ME THE PAYMENT DETAILS IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU AS OUR WORD IS OUR BOND TO YOU AND YOU WILL NEVER REGRET YOU DID.
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS E-MAIL BY YOU IMMEDIATELY AND BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL BE SMILING TO YOUR BANK ONCE YOU COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE DIRECTIVES NOW.
PLEASE GO AND SEND IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEND TO ME THE PAYMENT DETAILS IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU AS OUR WORD IS OUR BOND TO YOU AND YOU WILL NEVER REGRET YOU DID.
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS E-MAIL BY YOU IMMEDIATELY AND BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL BE SMILING TO YOUR BANK ONCE YOU COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE DIRECTIVES NOW.
REV. TOBIAS TERRY.
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