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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:
- "processing fee" (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. )
- "vic.godwin_3@live.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Francisco Savio Goncalves Feitosa" <francisco@bn1.barreirasnet.com.br>
Reply-To: vic.godwin_3@live.fr
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:12:03 -0300
Subject: ATM PAYMENT CENTER ZENITH BANK.
Attention: Dear,
How are you doing? Hope all is going, Dear' our latest news to you today is
that our Federal Government has approved all the funds owned to foreigners to
be converted into ATM CARDS in which you can easily receive it through the
Zenith Bank ATM Service Department here in Benin republic for security reason
Meanwhile, USD$2.5 Million has been convert into the ATM Switch Cards which
has been approve by the Government and the Switch Card code of the funds are
stated below (40038b) which you can use to struck like about $10,500.00 per
day to any ATM Bank nearest to you in your Country.
So we have make the arrangement to the ATM Department here in Benin Republic
to deliver your ATM Card to your destination address which take under
2working days to get to your address, Meanwhile you have to Contact them
immediately and the only money you have to send to received your Card from
them is the processing fee which is $109 only to receive your Card from the
Department.
Here is their Contact address, so Contact them with below information;
ATM PAYMENT CENTER ZENITH BANK.
Director: Dr. Victor Godwin
Email: vic.godwin_3@live.fr
Telephone: +229-99214998 +229-99214998.
Contact them immediately and get back to us as soon as you get in touch with
them below is what they need from you to reconfirm it to avoid delivery
problem.
Your Full Name......
Country Locate........
Home address...........
Telephone................
Immediately you contact them you get back and let us know.
Thanks & God Bless
Regards
Mr.Martin Johnson
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