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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. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- wumtnig09@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "IMF AGENT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <imf.agent@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:32:02 -0800
Subject: Re: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT UPDATE.
Fund Office United Nations
885 Second Ave, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10017
SWIFT: IMFDUS3WXXX
Attn: Beneficiary,
This is to officially inform you that your fund part payment of One Hundred And Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($150,000.00USD) has been forwarded to Western Union for immediate transfer to you as soon as you meet up with their demands of $200 transfer charges .
Contact: Mr. Mike Madu
Tel: 00234 7042188599
Email: wumtnig09@gmail.com
Confirm to him your name, phone number and address to enable him send your money to you.
PLEASE DON'T BOTHER TO WRITE HIM IF YOU ARE NOT READY/WILLING TO PAY THE $200 TRANSFER CHARGES.
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
Mr. Michael Bell,
Senior Resident
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Anti-fraud resources:
