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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:
- "processing 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. )
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Stanley Dimkpa" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stanley.dimkpa@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:36:32 -0400
Subject: Attachment of ATM Mastercard to this account:
My Name is Stanley Dimkpa I work with GT Bank. I have a business which will get both of us richer if you can handle it fine. There is a domiciliary account that contains over $12million United States Dollars. And that account had remained dormant for over eight months; i have traced and discovered that the owner of that account was jailed in London on Drug related offence and first degree murder charges.
I would like to reactivate the said account and reconfigure it with an ATM MASTERCARD which i will send to you; with the ATM MasterCard you can make withdrawal from that account on any ATM MasterCard worldwide.
All i will require to get this done is your Honesty not to cheat me as we will share every amount drawn from the account 50/50.As an insider in the bank i will give you an application form to enable you apply for an ATM MasterCard in the name of the account owner, and then forward it to the bank with the activation and processing fee of $400 Dollars only.
I will then configure the account and process the MasterCard and send it to you which you will have access to draw from the account daily through any ATM Machine.
When you receive the card you will have the ability to draw daily Limit $5000. But that depend on the limit set at any ATM Machine in your country.
Once you make any withdrawal it will reflect in the account and each amount drawn you will take half and send half to an account i will provide to you.
This is the deal. I will need your
Full Name
Address
Age
TEL number
ID
Once i receive your details i will forward to you an application form and give you details of the account to fill in the application. Then give you official email where you will forward the form to enable it come to my desk officially for approval.
Thanks
Stanley Dimkpa
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