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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- 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.
- 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.
- agent.braynsmith@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22FedEx=AE_Despatch_Agent=22?= <fedexdeliveryagent56@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: agent.braynsmith@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:15:13 +0200
Subject: CPEL/OWN/9856/Parcel #: EG2272
Greetings!
SHIPMENT CODE: CPEL/OWN/9856
PARCEL #: EG2272
You have a parcel containing an ATM CARD worth Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars
[$800,000.00 USD] with us at the FEDEX DELIVER COURIER. Your delivery
charges has been paid for. All you have to do is to re-confirm your
information with the correct mailing address and make a payment of
$250 USD only [Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars Only] for the security
keeping fee of the said parcel.
For your information, You have to contact the Dispatch Office now for
the delivery of your consignment with this information below:
Contact Person: Barry Smith
Email Address: Email: agent.braynsmith@yahoo.com.hk
Telephone: +234-703-584-3138
Please reconfirm your details:
FULL NAMES:
TELEPHONE:
POSTAL ADDRESS:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
Finally, make sure that you re-confirm your Postal address(s) and Direct
telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery.
Yours Faithfully,
Ms. Dora Williams,
Secretary.
FEDEX DELIVER COURIER
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Anti-fraud resources:
