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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "ups_servicedep@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: James whitehead <james----whitehead@att.net>
Reply-To: lucky199@sify.com
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:51:37 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CONTACT UPS COMPANY SERVICE TODAY 04/03/2011.
Good day My
Dear,
I
am Mr.James Whitehead from Loan Company,How are you today?I am writing to inform
you that We thank God that you are not going to pay any money to anybody for
shipping fee to receive your fund because they have waive all the fees for you
to receive your fund after I have explained to them on you behalf, That you have
suffered a lot so long and yet you have not receive your fund package valued
$1.5M(One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) which is awaiting your claim
since. And I decided to use UPS Courier company service now,instead of FedEx due to their better
service here.
As for my agreement
with the UPS
Courier Company their DIRECTOR MR.PETER JOHNSON promised me that
your consignment box will leave this Country as soon as they received your
delivering address as its needed, But the Director of the UPS COURIER COMPANY
said that they need your contacts information to enable them meet up and locate
you immediately the Diplomat Agent arrived in your Country.Please write a LETTER
OF APPLICATION OF CLAMS to the given address below.
MR.PETER JOHNSON DIRECTOR
GENERAL.
Email. ups_servicedep@live.com
Telephone line: +229 9940 2900
.
Fax Number: 00229 9008
220.
Bellow
are the needed informations they requsted from you for easy delivery of your
consignment box.
1.YOUR FULL
NAME________
2.YOUR HOME
ADDRESS._______
3.YOUR
COUNTRY__________
4.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE
NUMBER.________
5.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE
TELEPHONE._______
6.A COPY OF YOUR
PICTURE_______
7.YOUR NEAREST
AIRPORT________
8.YOUR
OCUPATION:______________
Please make sure you
send this needed information to the Director General of UPS Courier Company
today MR.PETER JOHNSON DIRECTOR GENERAL with the address given to you.Note that
The UPS courier company doesn't know the contents of the PACKAGE. It was
registered as a BOX containing your family materials. They don't know that it
contains money.This is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't them know that
is money that is in that Box.
I am waiting for your urgent
response.
Thanks and Remain
Blessed.Yours,
Mr.James
Whitehead.
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