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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "contact the diplomat" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- agentkinsley1@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "scott" <scott@montgomeryprint.com>
Reply-To: agentkinsley1@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:05:04 -0400
Subject: CONTACT DIPLOMAT
Attention my dear,
Compliment of the day to you and your beloved family. I am writing to inform you that the Government of this Benin has asked us to divert all unclaimed funds that belongs to the foreigners who are not ready to receive their funds to the Government's treasury. Due to the fact that I really aware that you need to receive your fund and have already spent some money and time in getting the fund despite that you were unable to obtained the Clearance Certificate which was demanded by the Authorities.
Due to the fact that you have spent some money and time in order to receive the funds, then I could not allow all the money you spent and the time you wasted to be in vain. Therefore I cashed the fund, packaged it in a box and have registered it with a diplomat to deliver it to your address.
The diplomat departed since 4 to 5 days ago and I have been expecting a call from you and the diplomat because I told him to call us once he arrived at your address so that I will speak with you to make sure he has delivered the package to you but the call we got from the diplomat few minutes ago was that he has lost your information at your airport there. I should have given him the information but I could not find it in my mailbox due to too many junk mails we receives and we used to delete all messages everyday. I got to found only your email address because it was in my address book but your other info were deleted.
However, we require your urgent action and officially urge you to reconfirm the following information below to the diplomat right away so that he will deliver your consignment box to you today hence he is now in your Country with your package.
Your full Name:....................
Home address:.....................
Your direct Tel & Fax Number:......................
Name of your nearest Air Port :......................
A copy of your identification:.......................
Please do contact the Diplomatic Agent via email with the information listed bellow. Agent Name; MR.KINGSLEY MORRIS (Diplomat Afloat Officer) E-mail ( agentkinsley1@yahoo.fr ) He is waiting to hear from you today with the information.
Note once again: The Diplomatic agent does not know that the content of the consignment box is sum of Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United State of American Dollar ($15.500.000.00 Million USD) and on no circumstances should you let him know the content. The consignment was moved from here as family treasures, so never allow him to open the box.
Yours Faithful,
Dr.Mohamed Guru
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Anti-fraud resources:
