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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:
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (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.
- 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.
- 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.
- krupags@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Central Bank Of Nigeria \(CBN\)" <allmessage26@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: krupags@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2011 22:39:54 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: From: Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN)
From: Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN)#115 Asokoro Road, Abuja, NigeriaTel: +234 8068 0721 35
Attn: Beneficiary!
I am (Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi) (born 31 July 1961) I was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. This morning I was searching for old files abandoned by Prof: Charles Soludo, Former Governor of this Bank and I found your file as uncompleted transaction. The total amount on your file is US$5.7Million including the last year bonus of CENTRAL BANK to all our customers.
I decided to use Bank Wire Transfer to complete the transaction but when I researched your file I noted that Bank to Bank transfer will require more Documents before it could be completed. Now I have ordered (Dr. Lawrence Igwe) Western Union Manager Central Bank Of Nigeria, to use their service of Western Union and complete the transfer.
According to Dr. Lawrence, sum of (US$20,000.00 Twenty Thousand United State Dollars) only will be paying to you per day and the particulars will be attached and forwarded to you for confirmation. He will be sending 6-different MTCN# to you everyday for pick up of the ($20.000.00)
He further stated that all it will cost you is US$155.00 for RENEWAL of your payment files to enable each payment made to reflect to your name without delay and also to obtain an (Fund Ownership Certificate) with your name and address. I will appreciate you contact Dr. Lawrence today to know other information he might need from you to complete the transfer and please pass this Code to him (711) so that he will know that you are the right person I directed to contact him. Contact him via mail:
Dr. Lawrence IgweTel: +234 8088 0743 353E-mail: krupags@hotmail.com
I wait for your reply once you start receiving the daily $20.000.00 as agreed.
Yours In Service!Mallam Sanusi Lamido SanusiGovernor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
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Anti-fraud resources:
