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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found 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.
- 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.
- westeruniontransfs@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Terry Smith" <mr.terrysmith@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: westeruniontransfs@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 22:47:59 +0800 (CST)
Subject: First $5000.00 was sent today
ATTENTION;MY DEAR
INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 24HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $5000:00 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND OF $2.3MILLIONUSD) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND SEND WHATEVER YOU HAVE starting $50.usd FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.
HERE INFORMATION TO PICK UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $5000.00USD WITHIN 12HOURSAFTER YOU SEND ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE STARTING $50.00USD FOR ACTIVATION
SENDER NAME: VICTOR GOLESCU
MTCN NUMBER: 690-890-74075
QUESTION====WHO LONG
TEST ANSWER===SOON
AMOUNT====$5000.00
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UP ON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST 5,000:00 USD, ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TODAY ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.
1. RECEIVER NAME...NWEKWU EDWIN
2.COUNTRY:.. BENIN REPUBLIC.
3. CITY: COTONOU
4.TEST QUESTION...WHO LONG
5.TEST ANSWER...TODAY
6.AMOUNT YOU SENT.....
SENDER NAME.......
SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST PRECEPT OF YOUR $5000 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW
BEST REGARD
Mr. Terry Smith
EMAIL (westeruniontransfs@yahoo.com.hk)
TELEPHONE +229 6802 4380
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Anti-fraud resources:
