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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "information676@gala.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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: "Mr.Melvin Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <information676@gala.net>
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:21:22 -0800
Subject: SHELL PETROLEUM LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION
SHELL PETROLEUM LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION
IN COLLARBORATION WITH SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
{SPDC} AND BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO C OMPANY.
REF Nº: EGS/2251256003/02
BATCH Nº: 14/0017/1PD
WINNING Nº: 60/84/27/17/36
OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION
Dear winner,
Winner in the 2nd category of our Shell Management free Net Lottery Promotional award
draws held on 21st November 2010.I am writing in respect to your lotto winning prize of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United State Dollar only)
which you won through the email ballot draws in our Shell Management Lotto Award in 19th Januaryr 2010 in the second
ategory prize winnings category.
We wish to inform you that your total prize money of £800,000.00 Pounds has been
Returned to us by our Lotto claims delivery company as unclaimed prize after their initial
letter to your address for your award payment was not successful.
You are here by requested to contact our Treasury Officer on his email address below for
your immediate award payment.
Treasury officer's name: DR.MARK DAVID
Email: information676@gala.net
Tel: +27 83 687 6562
Therefore contact him immediately for your claim lotto prize award payment.
You should contact our Treasury Officer as directed above for your payment, and do notify me as soon
as you received your payment from our Treasurer.
Please note: You have to reconfirm your full details to him such as:
1. Name in full:…………………………………..
2. Address:…………………………………………..
3. Nationality:…………………………………………
4. Age:…………………………………………………….
5. Occupation:……………………………………………….
6. Phone/Fax:………………………………………………….
7. Present Country:………………………………………………
Thanks,
Dr.Melvin Brown(President; Int'l Lotto Org.)
ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO
DISQUALIFICATION. WINNING RESULT MUST BE KEPT SECRET TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIM
CLAIM WHICH WILL RESULT TO YOUR LO ST OF PACKAGE.
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