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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- 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.
- larryjohn@lawyer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: BARRISTER LARRY JOHN <john1@workmail.com>
Reply-To: larryjohn@lawyer.com
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:14:09 +0900 (KST)
Subject: Re: IMMEDIATELY ANSWER THIS EMAIL
I am Barrister Larry John,a solicitor at law, and a Liberian lawyer practising in Benin Republic .
I am the personal attorney to your funds case which was about to transfer to you by the western union Money Transfer which was stoped by the Federal Authorities because of your ownership certificate they needed from you and i am here to inform you that the funds that is here in your name are going to be release to you and that was decleared yesterday at Federal High Court Of Law here in Benin Republic .
Please there is one more thing because you need to reconfirm your information once again and pay the sum of $40 for the renewing of your ownership certificate which was said by the Chief Judge and without that , there will be nothing to be done and after the payment of the $40 your funds payment will start without any delay and the amount we are talking about is sum of USD1.5MILLION USD.) and 10% will be my shear after you received your funds to your Bank Account or through western union money transfer.
FULL NAME:................................
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS:......................
TELEPHONE/FAX N°S:........................
YOUR OCCUPATION:..........................
YOUR ID...................................
E-MAIL; (LarryJohn@lawyer.com)
Tell Phone +229 93694961
THIS IS FOR BANK WIRE TRANSFER ONLY.
NAME OF THE ACCOUNT..............
ACCOUNT NUMBER.................
SWIFT CODE........................
NAME OF BANK AND ADDRESS.........
ROUTING NUMBER...................
THIS IS FOR YOUR PAYMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE RENEWMENT FEE WHICH IS $40 AND YOU CAN SEND IT THROUGH WESTERN UNION ONLY.
RECEIVER NAME: CHUKWUEMEKA NNAMDI
CITY: COTONOU,
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION:TO
ANSWER: ME
YOUR SENDER'S NAME..
AMOUNT:$40
MTCN. NUMBER
Thanks and i am waiting to receive this back today god bless you with your family.
Barrister Larry John
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