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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:
- "money gram" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- officefillecompany@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: BANK OF AMERICA <update----office19@att.net>
Reply-To: officefillecompany@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 22:26:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: WELCOME TO BANK OF AMERICA
WELCOME TO BANK OF AMERICA
BANK OF AMERICA.
E-MAIL: (officefillecompany@yahoo.fr)
TELE: 16062730492
DATE OF EMAIL 8/3/2011.
DEAR;
WE RECEIVED YOUR MESSAGE CONCERNING THE WIRE TRANSFER OF YOUR FUND DEPOSITED IN THIS BANK US($2.7m USD) YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO RECONFIRM YOUR BANKING DETAILS TO US AS LISTED BELOW TO THIS BANK BEFORE WE CAN PROCESS WITH THE TRANSFER AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE OUR TRANSFER CHARGES TOO.
HERE IS THE NEEDED INFORMATION TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND INTO YOUR DESTINATED ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY DELAY IMMEDIATELY THIS BANK CONFIRM THE ACTIVATING OF NEW ACCOUNT FEE TODAY. URGENT RESPOND FROM BANK OF AMERICA TO ENABLE US COMPLETE THE TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS TOMORROW AFTERNOON IMMEDIATELY YOU COMPLY WITH OUR TRANSFER CHARGES COST.
1.BENEFICIARY FULL NAME :
2.YOUR BANK NAME :
3.YOUR BANK ADDRESS :
4. BANK ROUTING NUMBER:
5. BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER :
WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO VERIFY THE ABOVE INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY SO THAT THE TRANSACTION WILL BE PROCESSING. AND ALSO THIS BANK WILL DIRECT YOU ON HOW TO SEND THE ACTIVTING FEE SO THAT WE CAN TRANSFER YOUR FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY YOU HAVE ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK.
USE THIS INFO BELOW TO SEND THE FEE TODAY VIA MONEY GRAM AS IT WILL BE CHEAPER AND FASTER TO ENABLE THIS BANK PROCCED AHEAD AND ACTIVATE FEE WHICH IS $85 USD, THE NEW ACCOUNT OVER HERE THAT WILL BE USE TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO YOUR DESTINATED ACCOUNT THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.
SEND THE FEE TO OUR HEAD OFFICE IN BENIN REPUBLIC WITH THE BELOW INFORMATION
BENEFICIARY NAME.................... AUGUSTINE NWEKWU
COUNTRY....................... ..............BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY.......................... .............COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION...................... ...WHO MADE HEAVEN?
ANSWER........................ ..........GOD
AMOUNT........................ ......$85 USD.
IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY REMEMBER TO SEND THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO THIS BANK TO AVOID ANY AFFICATION IN RECEIVING THE FEE OVER THERE IN OUR BRANCH OFFICE IN BENIN, PEACE IN JESUS NAME.
CHAIRMAN/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF BANK OF AMERICA.
BANK OF AMERICA FOREIGN OPERATION TRANSACTION
DIRECTOR. U.S.A MOORE WENLTON.
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Anti-fraud resources:
