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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- +447017515595 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447005330300 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- harryjackconsultant@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.HARRY JACK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <harryjackconsultant@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:13:23 +0530
Subject: MSN WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!
MSN INTERNATIONAL AWARD CENTRE
Dr.Harry Jack (PRIZE ADMINISTRATOR)
15/32 Pool Street
Caernarfon London
LL55 2AS United Kingdom.
Dear Winner,
Congratulations!! This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Five Hundred Thousand Pounds[GBP500,000.00] in the 2011 MSN E-mail AWARD which was conducted
by the Msn/Microsoft Co-operation
To file your claims and receive your prize, contact your claims agent on E-mail with details below:
Agent Name:Dr.Harry Jack
Tel :+447017515595
Fax: +447005-330-300
E-mail: harryjackconsultant@gmail.com
He shall immediately commence the process that will facilitate the release of your fund to you.
Stated below is your identification number:
REFERENCE NUMBER: BMW:2551256003/23
THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE STATED FUND, FOR VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.
(1) BENEFICIARY FULL NAME_______________
(2) NATIONALITY _______________
(3) STATE___________ CITY______________
(4) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS_________________
(5) DATE OF BIRTH_______________________
(6)SEX______________________________________
(7) MOBILE NUMBER_________________________
(8) FAX NUMBER________________________
(9) EMAIL ADDRESS_______________________
(10) AMOUNT WON________________________
(11)REFERENCE NUMBER_______________________
(12) OCCUPATION_________________________
(14) MARITAL STATUS__________________________
(15) ANNUAL INCOME_________________________
(16)YOUR IDENTIFICATION PROOF SCAN COPY________________________________________
Kind Regards,
(Prize Administrator)
Dr.Harry Jack
===========================================================================================
Disclaimer:
This message may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate,
distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-
mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secured or error-free as information could be inte
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Anti-fraud resources:
