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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "moneygram" (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 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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "moneygram62@live.fr" (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Hilary Owen" <james_ben111@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: moneygram62@live.fr
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2011 19:08:04 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER OFFICE BENIN
ffice of the money gram transfer.Cotonou benin republic/address 455 agbokou,ankpa roadopposite tunde motors cotonou office benin republic TEL +229-98677751 . Adresse :rue dugouverneur bayol;boite postale :bp 1280 - cotonou;
Date: A/ 7 /4/ 2011
Attention:Beneficiary.
Notice: we discovered that some internet hackers (Fraudsters) are accessing our e-mail account and yours trying to steal from both of us, so we have concluded to effect your payments through Money Gram Office. They will be sending $5,000. to you daily until your $850.000.00 is completely transferred to you accordingly. You can only pay to them $57 so as to enable the purchasing of your inheritance file to prevent illegal transfer of your funds or any form of hindrance in receiving your funds.
We shall obtain the Tax clearance certificates and finalize the process of your daily transfer and then authorize the appointed Money Gram Office to effect your payments by tomorrow as soon as you send the fee to them.
Please fill in the transfer form attached to you and forward to them which will enable on the transfer.
Here is there contact address.
Agent incharge
Mr. Hilary Owen
Barrister.Mike chinaedu
E-mail: moneygram62@live.fr
Tel: (+229) +229-98-677-751
Below is the information which you use to send the required fee through Western Union or Money Gram any of the office that is close to you.
The Payment instructions.
Receiver name:............................... Mr. Dibor Raphael Ojiakor
City:.................................................COTONOU
Country:...........................................BENIN REPUBLIC
Test Question:.................................HONEST
Test Answer:..................................TRUST
Amount:...........................................57.00usd$
Then after you have send the fee to this information, you should send the payment informations to them together with the transfer form giving to you. Immediately they purchase your payment files, you will start receiving your payments daily as stated above.
Here are details of your first payment of $5.000 USD made on your behalf but it has no receiver's name yet until you remit the $57 USD required to them before they can purchase the inheritance files with your name and put your name as the receiver.
Sender's First Name:Hilary
Sender's Last Name: Owen
Amount: $5,000 USD
Reffrence#: 5274-1455
Note that within 24hrs if you do not remit the required $57USD the transfer will be retrieve back and remember that the money details given to you does not bear your name as the receiver yet until you make the payment of the $57 USD.
Thanks for your kind attention.
Best Regards.
Mr. Hilary Owen
Barrister.Mike chinaedu
Tel: (+229) 229-98-677-751
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER OFFICE BENIN
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