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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
- twilson.wunionbenin@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER <rakitou259@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: twilson.wunionbenin@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:47:27 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST TRANSFER OF $5000!!!
FROM WESTERN UNION REMITTING OFFICE TO YOU:
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The western union money transfer remitting head office Benin Republic have sent your full compensation payment of $1,700,000.00 USD to you through western union money transfer as being ordered by the United Nations in conjunction with the ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) monetization committee. You will be receiving $5,000.00usd per day. We have sent the first payment to you and so you are to contact our Director Dr. Ted Wilson for the western union money transfer complete payment information's so you can be able to pick up your funds throughout western union money transfer outlets of your choice.
Â
Here is the incomplete information’s of your first transfer of $5000.
Senders Name: James Davis
Mtcn: 43465XXXXX
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Above is the incomplete transfer information's of your first payments of $5000, but once you send the transfer charges of $79 to our cashier with the below information's, our Director will immediately get back to you with the full details of your first transfer of $5000.
Receivers Name:........ Mike Promise.
City: .....................Cotonou.
Country: ...............Benin Republic.
Text Question: ....How Long?
Text Answer: ......Soonest.
Amount: ...............$79.00 only.
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You are advised to endeavor to send us the above required transfer charges and the payment details too and once that is done, you'll have to receive the complete information's of your first payment of $5000 immediately.
NOTE: For security reasons we'll not give you the test response and question of the transfer code sodo contact the Director: Dr. Ted Wilson. You are to contact him with the below information's which is necessary for verification and reconfirmation of your data.
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:------
2. POSTAL ADDRESS:--------
3. PHONE NUMBER:----------
4. CELL NUMBERS:-----------
5. EMAIL ADDRESS:----------
6. SEX:----------------------------
7. AGE:----------------------------
8. OCCUPATION:---------------
9. NATIONALITY:--------------
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We are waiting to receiving the payment detail as soon as possible. Call us immediately you send the money to enable us fasten our services to you +229-9963-1360. E-mail: (twilson.wunionbenin@gmail.com)
Best Regards
Pauline Scott: Chief Secretary
EMAIL ADDRESS : pscott.wumtsecretary@globomail.com
PHONE NUMBER :+229-683-646-84
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