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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- westernuionbous@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: MR JOHNSON BEN <soundwave315@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: usarevenue20@deliveryman.com
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 03:56:32 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ONU MTCN: 9702941339
WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
FOREGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT
OFFICE
TELEPHONE +229-99869143
WEB SITE.www.westernunion.com http://site.www.westernunion.com/
ATTENTION
BENEFICIARY,
This is to bring you notes and news what is going to happen
concern your payment which you leave since because of the price.The
Management said that very Beneficary must pay $39 to enable us register your
payment bu tomorrow morning but fall to do that we will cancel your payment
immediately.
Note; That all the necessary arrangement concern your payment is
alraedy now and we are already posted your payment and it is available to pick
up now by the receiver but we can not give you the informations to pick it up
untill you send our charges which is $39then we will release the full
informations for you to pick up your $3000 Every Blessing Day through western
union in any country.
According to our
rules and regulations that guiding our Department now any delay we will pick up
the payment from western union so make sure that you send the $39 today because
tomorrow maybe too late.
So go ahead and send the payment via western union with our
cashier informations below.the transfer charge can not be more than $39 us
dollars ok.
send the $39 with this information MR ONYI
jOHN
Reciever Name:
:MR ONYI jOHN
Location: :Cotonou,
Country: :Benin Republic
Text Q: :How
Long?
Answer::::::two
days
Mtcn................
SENDERS
NAME..................
Amount:::::.$39
Then the sender's name ok.
Send the money via western union
money transfer and forward the payment informations to us for easier pick
up.
The Agent will start sending your payment as soon as we got
everything done today but any delay will make us to pick up the money back from
western union to aviod another person to pick up your payment okay so hurry
up.
Below: MTCN TRACKING . And I advise you to track it now so that
you will know the truth .
Call me once you send the $39 today Number
+229--99869143
THIS IS YOUR TRACK PAYMENT INFORMATIONS AND I WILL LIKE
YOU TO TRACK IT NOW: Website: www.westernunion.com
Money Transfer Control Number: 9702461339
Senders First Name:
Henry
Senders Last Name: Dave
Text Question---- IN
GOD?
Answer---------- WE TRUST.
Amount:::::.$3000
I am looking forward to receive of $39 immediately to enable us
to give your the full informations which you will use pick up your payment in
any western union but fall to do so you will loose your payment because your
have only today and after that nomore.
I wish you good luck.
Yours in service
Emil
westernuionbous@yahoo.com
MR. Joe Henry, officer incharge
Tel Call+229-99869143
Western Union Department Head office
republic of
Benin
Western
Union®
Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide
B
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