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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:
- "atm card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- 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.
- 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.
- info-atmzenithbank@tlen.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. James Tobi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info-atmzenithbank@tlen.pl>
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:04:59 -0800
Subject: ATM CARD CENTER.
Dear Sir,
It's my pleasure to inform you that your Contract/Inheritance fund valued $15.8 Million United States Dollars has been up loaded into an ATM-CARD in your
name, we have made an arrangements with the bank to release your funds via new ATM MASTER CARD which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM MACHINE
worldwide.
You are to contact the ATM card department with your full information such as follows:
1. FULL NAME:__
2. FULL ADDRESS:__
3. PHONE NUMBER:__
4. FAX NUMBER:__
5. AGE:____SEX_____
6. 0CURRENT OCCUPATION:__
7. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION:
Please, contact this officer below:
MR. JOSHUA MCKENZIE,
ATM CREDIT DEPARTMENT ZENITH BANK.
TEL: +229 99 82 42 82
E-MAIL: info-atmzenithbank@tlen.pl
Try to contact the Bank as soon as possible to enable them despatch the ATM card to you before it expired.
Regards,
Mr. James Tobi.
Consultant to Benin
Republic Government.
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