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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:
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- westernunionoffice635@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR.RICHARD LARRY" <jianmcarreon@yahoo.com.au>
Reply-To: westernunionoffice635@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 06:49:42 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ARE YOU ALIVE OR NOT
P {
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ATTENTION : DEAR
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MR.WILLIAM MICHAEL,HE CALLED US YESTERDAY WITH THIS TELEPHONE
NUMBER:8668623150 INFORMING ME
THAT YOU ARE DEAD AND HE SAID THAT I SHOULD SEND HIM YOUR FUND TO HIS HOME
ADDRESS: San
Francisco California 94102,
BECAUSE HE IS YOUR NEXT OF KIN BENEFICIARY TO YOU, AND HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT YOU
INSTRUCTED HIM TO CLAIM YOUR PROPERTIES INCLUDING YOUR MONEY IN CASE BECAUSE
YOU ARE NO MORE TO BE FOUND ON
EARTH.
I AM VERY SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE KNOW MORE
TO BE FOUND ON EARTH AND I DONT KNOW THAT THIS IS THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE NOT
REPLY THE EMAILS I SENT TO YOU REGADING THE TRANSFERRING OF YOUR FUND.THIS IS MY
PROMISE TO YOU THAT I AM GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOUR FUND WILL BE TRANSFER TO HIM AS YOUR NEXT OF KIN BENEFICIARY TO YOU
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE AND MAY GOD GRATE YOU INTERNAL
LIFE ON THE LAST DAY TO COME I AM VERY VERY
SORRY.
HE DID ALSO SAID HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO SPEND SOME MONEY
TO GET THE FUND BECAUSE YOU TOLD HIM SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND I SHOULD LET HIM
KNOW THE COST,I TOLD HIM TO HOLD ON AND LET ME VERIFY IF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT
BECUASE IAM CONFUSED NOW ABOUT THIS CLAIMS'YOU ARE ADVICE TO SEND YOUR ADDRESS
TO ENABLE ME PROCEED ON YOUR TRANSFER IF THIS IS NOT TRUE BUT FOR YOUR
INFROMATION YOU ARE TO PAY $40 FOR THE RENEWAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE FEE OF YOUR
FUND, WHICH IF IT IS TRUE THAT YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.
HERE IS THE
INFORMATION WHERE YOU WE SEND THE FEE,
RECEIVER NAME---------------Mr
OKOYE UZOR
COUNTRY--------------------- BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY--------------- COTONOU
QUESTION----------ONLY
ANSWER------------FEE
AMOUNT-----------$40
MTCN -------------
SENDER NAME-----------
THESE
ARE YOUR FUNERAL PICTURES HE SUBMITTED
TO ME AS
THE FINAL CEREMONY OF YOUR BURIAL
REPORTED BY MR.WILLIAM
MICHAEL(westernunionoffice635@yahoo.fr)
YOUR URGENT RESPOND
IS HIGHLY NEEDED.AND REMEMBER TO CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL REGARD
MR.RICHARD
LARRY.
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