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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- +447024082959 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- dip965784@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Diplomat Donald Good luck" <info@standardtrustbank.uk>
Reply-To: dip965784@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:04:42 -0500
Subject: RE: Thank you for your understanding.
Dear Friend,
My name is Diplomat Donald Good luck, I work with the Standard Trust
International Bank UK as a the branch manager.
I am aware of your delay in receiving your International Inheritance Benefit
Fund worth $10Million United Dollar been approved last Month by the United
Nation Citizen Benefit Right Commission.
I am writing you to inform you that i can help you get your payment payed to
you within 7 working days from this my bank branch here in Nigeria but will do
this only if you agreed to give to me 30% of this fund then you take take 70%
of the fund $10Million United Dollar.
I will make sure your payment is approved for released to you and also use my
office position to see that your payment be credited into a Master Card ATM
CARD so that you can have the privileged to spend or transfer your fund from
the Master ATM CARD with a spending Daily limit of $9000.00USD per day.
Note: Once your payment is released to you by Master ATM Card by this bank, i
will only wait for your 1month that you have received this Card to transfer to
my bank account my Agreed 30%. failure to do this will warrant me to place a
hold on your account over here.
So if you agreed with my Deal , you are advice to get back to me with the
necessary information stated below:
Name:....
Address:..
Occupation:..
Next of Kin:..
Telephone Number:..
Recent Photo ID:..
This information will be use to setup the released of your fund into a ATM Card.
I await to hear from you as soon as possible.
Thanks.
Mr Donald Good luck
+447024082959
email: dip965784@gmail.com
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