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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:
- "mtcn" (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 transfer control number" (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. )
- 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.
- benin.embassy20000@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "mr godwin ikem" <mrgodwin@rocketmail.com>
Reply-To: benin.embassy20000@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010 10:11:13 -0400
Subject: MTCN : 1931293519 TO PICK UP YOUR
Attention: My Dear Customer
This is to inform you that this office was instructed to pay your fund
$1.5Million U.S.A Dollars by America security leading team and America
representative embassy between now until end of July 2010 per day you will
receive the sum of 6,000 Dollars,
However be informed that we have send the sum of $6000 Dollars this
morning to avoid cancellation of your payment you have only four hours to
call this office upon the receipt of this email the maximum amount you
will be receiving per day starting from today is $6000 in three different
payments and the Money Transfer Control Number of today is below.
Sender's:: Name; Ben Marvin
MTCN ::: 1931293519
Text Question:::: who is the father?
How long Answer:::: God.
Amount::::USD$6,000.00
Once again be advice to reconfirm your information such as;
RECEIVER NAME____
COUNTRY___________
CITY________________
TEL_________________
TEST QUESTION______
ANSWER_____________
Furthermore you advised to call us as the instruction was passed that
within 10 hours without hearing from you. Count your payment cancelled.
Number to call is below listed Manager Director Office Dr.Simeon Miracle
of release order: +229-99450723
.E-mail benin.embassy20000@gmail.com
Thanks and my regards
mr godwin ikem,
MTCN : 1931293519 TO PICK UP YOUR $6000.00 OK
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Anti-fraud resources:
