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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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- europeebank@europe.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATION ORGANIZATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unorelease1@blumail.org>
Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2012 15:12:18 -0800
Subject: 2012 FUND GRANT FROM UNITED NATIONA ORGANISATION
United Nation Organization
Information Section.
760 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017 , USA.
RE: DOCKET NO. OP 292.
Our Ref: UN/BKL/STB
IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR FUND US$5.3MILLION ONLY VIA ATM VISA CARD.
Attention:
We wish to inform you that your payment of USD$5.3 Million from the United
nation peace fund released and ready to be paid to you via ATM VISA CARD which you
will use to withdraw the US$5.3 Million from any ATM Machine in any part of the world.
We have mandated the Europe Bank Espana Madrid Spain, to issue an ATM VISA CARD
and PIN #which you will use to withdraw the fund from any ATM machine in any part of the world .
You are strongly advice immediately to contact the bank officer with this information and they will
tell you how you will recieves your ATM card. You are advice to call them for confirmation.
CONTACT PERSON: MARTIN MORGAN
EMAIL ADDRESS: europeebank@europe.com
TEL/FAX:+34-693-976-922
ADDRESS: CALLE SAN BUENO N0 54
MADRID SPAIN
You are to forward to him the below informationsuch as:
1) Your Full Name. ----------------------
2) Your Full Contact Address.------------
3) Tel/Fax Number------------------------
4) Occupation and Organisation-----------
5) Date of birth-------------------------
6) Sex-----------------------
7) Private Email Address-----------------
The ATM VISA CARD approval in your name has been sent to Mr Martin Morgan and he
is waiting for your above information to enable him process and send you the CARD
and PIN number without any delay. So make sure you contact him right now with your
information and tell him that you received a message from the UNITED NATION,Instructing you
to contact him for immediate release of your fund via ATM VISA CARD.
Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept our congratulations!
Yours Sincerely,
MR. Kiyotaka Akasaka
Public Information Officer.
Website: www.un.org/sg/management.shtml
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Anti-fraud resources:
