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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- ",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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- western.union.benin@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MRS LINDA COLE <transferdept70@gmail.com>
Reply-To: western.union.benin@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 17:41:09 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?WESTERN_UNION=AE_PAYMENT=3F?=
WESTERN UNION® PAYMENT?
Please you are advise to go through this email and make sure you understand and ready to comply with the content before replying it. We got a report that your name was among the list of those their inheritance fund was returned as unclaimed due to long staying in clearing custody of the officials and other security agency due to your inability to meet up with their high demand.
We wish to inform you that your total inheritance fund of $1,500,000 has been referred to our office (Western Union ) by The Government for immediate payment after their initial letter to your address for your payment was not replied.You are hereby requested to contact our Treasury Office through this e-mail address:( western.union.benin@hotmail.com ) for your immediate payment.Our Treasury officer's name is MR NDU AMAKA ; so refer this to him and contact him immediately for your unclaimed payment.
Be informed that all matters relating to the said transfer has being fully regularized and final approval has being issued out in your favour and we have therefore commence the first installment payment of $5000 as instructed. Below are the transfer details you will need to pick the fund up.
Money Transfer Control number(MTCN) 8492251069 (Pending)
Sender First Name: AUSTIN
Sender Last Name: GINIKA
Test Question: At last
Test Answer : Am happy
Expected Amount: $5,000.00usd
Note: The MTCN will remain pending until we received our processing charge before it could be activated for you to have access to track it using our world wide system service. We would have deducted charges from the total sum but our management policy does not allow us to deduct from it for security reasons and to avoid fraud penetration.
PLEASE CONTACT THE BELOW LISTED INFORMATION FOR IMMEDIATELY PAYMENT AND MAKE SURE YOU COPY HIS EMAIL BEFORE REPLYING ,NOTE: THAT YOU WILL SEND HIM THE PROCESSING AND ACTIVATION FEE OF $198US
AGENT NAME: MR NDU AMAKA
EMAIL: (western.union.benin@hotmail.com )
PHONE:+229 9874-7375
you are free to call for oral discussion and also reconfirm your information below for easy verification with our record,
FULL NAME........
COUNTRY........
CITY..............
STATE..............
ADDRESS................
OCCUPATION...............
AGE/MARITAL STATUS..........
PHONE NUMBER................
OFFICE ADDRESS............
OFFICE PHONE NUMBER.........
CELL PHONE...................
ID/PASSPORT..................
We await to hear from you to enable us order for the release of your first installmental payment of $5000 through our agency in your Country and please do not forget to forward the payment MTCN to our Treasury Office through this e-mail address:( western.union.benin@hotmail.com ).
For urgent information, Call us at +229 9874-7375
Yours in service
MRS LINDA COLE
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE
BENIN REPUBLIC
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Anti-fraud resources:
