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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:
- "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. )
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
- 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: Western Union Money Transfer <officefile4581@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: westerrnunion85@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:24:52 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Thanks and Do Have a Great Day Ahead !
Western Union Payments
DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
NO.5/8 TOKPA ESTATE BUILDING
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC.
TEL: +229-98-789205
Attention:
I have been mandated to ask what the
cause of the delay is about your non-response back to this office
concerning the remittance of your funds to you.
This
office is under pressure from Mr.Jeffrey White the man who still claims
that you are dead and that you made him your Beneficiary and next of
kin so all money should be given to him .
We
are very confused at this stage of this transaction because we heard
from you and the next thing was silence which looks very suspicious as
if you were not the one and truely dead as this gentle man claims you
are.Mr.Jeffrey White is ready to pay for the arrangement of your paper
work so that funds can be awarded to him as your next of kin.
I
am only carrying out the very last confirmation of this Organisation
wish ok,you are advised to get back to us and when you will pay the
activation change of $100 usd immediately if you are Alive so that we
can
proove to this man that he is lying or better still give him what he is
entitled to as your Next of kin.
We await your urgent response if you are living.
Thanks and Do Have a Great Day Ahead !
Best Regards,
Mr. Mark James
Chairman (UNRC).,
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