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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:
- "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: " SOLIDARITE-BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <expressbankbrsnasuba@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:07:46 +0100
Subject: YOUR UPDATE
BANBANQUE REGIONALE DE SOLIDARITE-BANK
144 AVENUE VAN VOLEN HOVEN
01-BP097 COTONOU
Direct phone +22998418499
Dear Beneficiary,
We wish to congratulate you on the release of your Inheritance fund totaling four Million Five Hundred Thousand ($4,500,000) Your fund have been program in an ATM card and you are to get back to us immediately with below requested information as required for reconfirmation and verification.
1. Your full name
2. Phone and fax number
3. Your current contact address.
4. Your age and current occupation
5. Attach a copy of your valid means of identification
Right now we have arranged your payment through our swift card payment center in that is the latest instruction from the UNITED NATION This card
center will send to you an ATM VISA 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 fund in this way, please let us know by contacting this ATM payment department.
Note that every other expenses have been taken care of but what is needed from you is the courier fee for the shipment of the ATM card to your address. We are expecting your urgent reply.
Kind regards,
Mr. Jerry Ibezim
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