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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:
- "mobilization fee" (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. )
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Micheal Mensah" <99.safia@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mens999@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:13:58 +0300
Subject: Can You Supply..
--
We Are interested in the supply of your Company Products and other products that
you can as well handle its supply to our Government through the Ecowas Community
Development Authority ongoing Tender in Ghana for the supply of Various items
and to do business with you or your company. Please Can you furnish us in
details if you can handle the supply of any of these listed items below .It will
appreciated more if you can Let us know if you can handle this supply, your
product is needed here:
1. Hospital bed sheets and Pillow cases
2. Safety Protection Equipments
3.Fire Fighting Equipments
4.Animal Feeds/Fertilizers
5. T-shirts
6. Sugar/Soya Beans Oil
7. Mobile Phone and Desk Tops
8. Cements
9. Fertilizers
10. Syringes, needles, surgical instruments
11.Fishing Equipments and Water Treatment Chemicals
12. Condoms.
13. Treated mosquito net.
14. Medical equipment.
15. Agro chemicals.
16.Rice
17.Laboratory Equipments
19:Carpets
19.Other products not listed.
All other details will be provided to you on hearing back from you.
Please note that the Ecowas Community Development Authority makes an advance
payment(Mobilization fee) of 70% of the contract sum by telegraphic transfer and
an irrevocable L/C of 30% to be confirmed by your bank before supply.We can also
pay 100% advance to your account depending on any method you prefers.
Tender is open to all eligible foreign contractors from eligible source
countries as defined in the guidelines of the procurement Board of the Republic
of Ghana.Get back to me for more details. I am a commission agent.
Thanks,
Mr.Micheal Mensah
Live Consultant Company Agency.
Accra-Ghana
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