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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:
- "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "atmcardoffice2@yahoo.cn" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
- "atmcardoffice2@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Theresa Lewis (Hon.)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atmcardoffice2@yahoo.cn>
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:04:20 -0400
Subject: Swift Card Payment Center
Attn,
We write to inform you that Series of meetings have been held over the past 2weeks with the Secretary General of the IMF Organization and U.S.Department of State this ended last week. During the meeting, this organization discovered that you have not received your funds due to past corrupt Governmental Officials who almost held the fund to themselves for their selfish reason and some individuals who have taken advantage of your fund all in an attempt to swindle your fund which has led to so many losses from your end and unnecessary delay in the receipt of your fund.
We have come in conclusion that your Funds should be paid by this Office through our ATM Master Card that will be sent to you. The IMF Organization and U.S.Department of State have successfully passed a payment mandate to our paying bank to clear all over due Contract funds, Lottery winnings and Inheritance funds owed to you and other individuals and organizations who have been found not to have receive their funds. Note that your payment file submitted to our office in question is $5Million U.S Dollars.
This card center will send you an ATM card which you will use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine in any part of the world, so if you like to receive your funds this way kindly reconfirm the information below and send to atmcardoffice2@yahoo.cn for immediately release of your fund through our ATM Master card.
(1) Your Full Name
(2) Full residential address
(3) Phone And Fax Number
(4) Occupation.
(5) Personal Identification.Drivers license or International Passport.
(7) Age
(8) Marital Status.
We expecting your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Theresa Lewis (Hon.)
Secretary to the Presidency
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