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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- westernbeninrepublicrb1981@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "WESTERN UNION" <customer_care21111@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: westernbeninrepublicrb1981@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:35:24 -0300 (PYST)
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT IS READY TRACK MTCN:6412112340
ATTENTION TO YOU ,
YOUR PAYMENT IS READY TRACK MTCN:6412112340.
I want to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 US Dollars
through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your
full over due payment total sum of $4.5m USD, via western union by the
Ministry of Finance.I tried reaching you on phone to give you all the
information on phone but I couldn't get through yesterday,So I decided to
email you the MTCN and sender name so that you can pick up the $5000.00 to
enable us send another $5000.00 today as you know we will be sending you
$5000.00 only per day. And it was agreed that you will pay the transfer
clearance certificate which sum of $255 dollar before the release of the
payment to you.
Please pick up this information and locate any western union around to
pick up the $5000.00 and call the Operation Manager Mr.Desmond
Elliot,because he is the person in charge of your payment, and he can send
you another payment today once you contact him, phone line Call +229 98 49
14 35 E-mail(westernbeninrepublicrb1981@gmail.com) contact him once you
picked up the $5000.00 today.
Below is the western union information to pick up the $5000.00; which you
will be receiving daily after you sent them their transfer clearance
certificate of $255 and it will serve as re-confirmation of your payment
file in our office.
Here is the Senders Information;
Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N) 6412112340
Senders First Name: IGNATIUS
Senders Last Name: NWOKEDI
Question: mkpoloigbo
Answer: nwa
Website; www.westernunion.com track it and be sure ok.
We are waiting to hear from you with the transfer clearance certificate
payment of $255 today;And you can use this below information to send the
transfer charges today.
Receiver Name....Mr.Sunday Okafor
Country------Benin Republic
Your. City-----Cotonou
Amount---------$255.00 usd
Your.Question----START
Your. Answer-----TODAY
Sender's Name----
Mtcn-------------?
Be advice that $255 transfer clearance certificate is compulsory as they
told me that is the only money you will pay until you receive your payment
completely. Endeavor to E-mail your direct telephone number because you
will call once the payment informations is sent to you.
Regards
Mr.Desmond Elliot
Call me once you send the $255 dollar +229 98 49 14 35
Email;(westernbeninrepublicrb1981@gmail.com)
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