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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- 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: Honorable Godwen John <john.race@superposta.com>
Reply-To: mr.godwen.john@superposta.com
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:33:10 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: DIRECTOR; IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
Imf world regulatory office
International funds regulatory authority
Inter-continental debt reconciliation dept.
>From the desk of: Honorable Godwen John
Director; imf world regulatory office.
Attention:provision of affidavit of claim certificate for legal cover/ protection of us$4.5m in favour of you. A meeting was held today with the federal executive council (fec) headed by the *acting* president of the federal republic of benin dr. Good luck jonathan as the president is presently hospitalized due to illness. The issue of your payment was raised in the meeting and the acting president has given authority to the imf world regulatory office to make sure that the payment is being issued out to you as his tenure will not experience any form of foreign funds seizure.
The acting president in his speech made it clear to his fellow colleagues that this 2011 will experience fairness in government activities and also he has apologized for the way foreigners has being treated in trying to get what is due to them and has promised that it will be a thing of the past once you are ready to fulfill the obligations and co-operate with the imf world regulatory office.
Your pending fund is worth $4,500,000.00usd (one million five hundred thousand united states dollars) which is to be fully remitted to you by this office.
After the meeting today with the *acting* president of the federal republic of benin Dr. Good luck jonathan we have reduce the payment for the affidavit of claim clearance certificate to $95 so that you can meet up with the payment please you given only 24hours to do this payment so we can release your $4.5m usd in our care so we advice you to pay the $95 through the western union money transfer with the below information and send the payment details to me.
Receiver Name::.....Mbanefo P Austin
Country::........Benin Republic
City::.........Cotonou
Test Q::.........Urgent
Test Answer::.....Needed
Amount::.........$95 dollars
MTCN number:.........?
Sender Name:.........?
Please go and send it immediately and send to me the payment details immediately. Please note that your co-operation and maturity is highly needed on this issue for immediate release of your fund within 24 hour. We await for your urgent response immediately today.
Thank you and have a nice day
Honorable Godwen John
Telephone: 00229-66289330.
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