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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- +447045733844 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- brtshfnncmntrngnt06@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "BRITISH FINANCE MONITORING UNIT" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:20:00 +0400
Subject: BRITISH FINANCE MONITORING UNIT LONDON
BRITISH FINANCE MONITORING UNIT
LONDON, ENGLAND.
ATTENTION:
It has come to the notice of the British Finance Monitoring Unit LONDON, ENGLAND that the sum of US$6 Million United State Dollars as compensation funds has been credited in your favor for transfer to your operative bank account and is currently floating in the International Banking Community Financial Data Base as an unclaimed Fund. Under the stipulated Law of the Government of Great Britain and Wales and other member countries of the United Nations, Funds up to Certain amount that is floating in the International Banking Community Financial Data Base waiting to be transferred without claims for a period of 6 months or more, shall be confiscated and forfeited to the United Nations account.
We do hereby ask you to contact the below assigned person who is in charge of your funds immediately for ratification of this notice or consider your fund confiscated. For further information do not hesitate to contact the undersigned.
CONTACT YOUR ASSIGNED PERSON WITH THE INFORMATION BELOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
NAME: Mr. George Smith
Email: brtshfnncmntrngnt06@hotmail.com
Telephone: (+447045733844)
Actions in Event of Delinquency" may be required if you do not act accordingly. You are required to claim your fund more than 7days otherwise consider your fund confiscated.
If you require any further assistance on this subject please do not hesitate to ask your assigned payment officer for clarification.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Culverton Griffith.
(Director) BRITISH FINANCE MONITORING UNIT.
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