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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:
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "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)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- 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: "mrs joy dominic" <mrs.joydominic@mail.com>
Reply-To: mrs.joydominic566@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 18:09:25 -0300
Subject: Contact DR GODWIN EZE FROM DHL Delivery Company Urgent For You Cash
Box.
Good day,
I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Bank
Draft but did not hear from you since that time. I went to the bank to
confirm whether the draft is getting close to expire and the director of
the bank told me that before the draft will get to your address that it
will expire. Then I told him to help me and cash the cashier bank draft of
$8, 5 million to cash payment.
However, I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged it in a box and
have registered it in the DHL COURIER COMPANY here in Benin
Republic because I will travel to see my boss and will not come back till
next month end.
You have to contact the DHL COURIER COMPANY to know when they
will deliver your package to your address. I have paid for the delivering
charges and insurance fees. The only money you have to pay to them is
their security keeping fee.
HERE IS DHL COURIER COMPANY CONTACT ADDRESS BELOW/
DR Godwin Eze
Telephon( +2347042911118)
E-mail: dhl.courier_delivery_department@live.com
Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX.
This is the information they need from you.
1. YOUR FULL NAME.
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3. YOUR CURRENT MOBILE NUMBER.
Try to contact DHL COURIER COMPANY as
soon as possible to avoid increasing the security keeping fees. I gave
them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to
avoid any mistake in the delivery.
Note; I didn't tell the DHL COURIER COMPANY that it's money
inside the box, I registered it as a package of an African cloths. This is
to avoid delaying or any upfront problem during the delivery, So do not
let them to know that the package contents money inside until you have
received it in your house address ok.
Do let me know as soon as you received your package. You will get in touch
with me through e-mail as my phone is no longer available now that I am
out from our country. Contact me by email ok.
Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Mrs Joy Dominic.
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