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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "million 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.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- moneygrambenininfo@sunumail.sn (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MR ABERT RONALD <inforweb@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: moneygrambenininfo@sunumail.sn
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:55:00 +0800 (CST)
Subject: Money Gram International Bank Transfer
 Attention :
Â
THISÂ MONEY GRAM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT REMMITTING OFFICE HAVE BEEN
INSTRUCTED BY THE FEDERAL MINSTRY OF FINANCE AND FUNDS TRANSFER ORDER TO
TRANSFER YOUR TOTAL FUND OF $1,5 USD MILLION DOLLARS TO YOU VIA MONEY GRAM.
WHY OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLS MAP OUT YOUR FUNDS TO BE TRANSFER
THROUGH MONEY GRAM IS BECAUSE OF INSINCER/UNTRUSTWORTHY AND DISNONESTY OF OUR
BANKERS, DELIVERY COMPANY’S AND THE WESTERN UNION AGENTS HAVE EVEN FORMED THE
HABIT OF GIVEN FAKE COUNTROL NUMBERS THIS ARE THE REASONS OUR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALLS DECIDED TO FOLLOW LEGAL PROCEEDURES OF MONEY GRAM TO TRANSFER YOUR
FUND WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH DIFFICULTIES TO RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUNDS.
BE
ADVISED THAT OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLS HAS FINALY AGREED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR
INHERITERCE FUNDS WHICH SURPOSE TO TRANSFER TO YOU SINCE BEGINIG OF THIS YEAR
BUT DUE TO IMPORTANT MATTERS WHICH THEY WANT TO SOLVE OUT IN RESPECT OF YOUR
TOTAL $1.5 USD MILLION DOLLARS THAT DELAYED YOUR PAYMENT SINCE THEN BUT THANK
GOD THAT THE WHOLES ISSUES HAS BEEN SOLVED OUT NOW. NOW YOU ARE INFORMED THAT
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING THE SUM OF $6,000.00 USD PER DAY, UNITLL YOUR TOTAL AMONUT
OF $1.5 USD MILLION DOLLARS IS TRANSFERRED COMPLETELY.
THE AGENT INCHARGE OF YOUR FUND IS DR Mike OFO ZUMA. ADRESS IS
(moneygrambenininfo@sunumail.sn)
FILL THESE BELOW INFORMATION.
YOUR RECIEVERS NAME.......?
YOUR COUNTRY……… ?
YOUR CITY………….?
YOUR TEST QUESTION…….?
YOUR
ANSWER…………?
YOUR AGE…………?
YOUR OCCUPATION…………?
BE INFORMING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEND YOUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF
$150.00 USD WITHIN 1DAYS TODAY BECAUSE AFTER THIS 1DAYS THERE SHOULD BE A
PANELITIES FOR THE LATE COMERS AND YOU HAVE TO WRITE AN APPLICATION LETTER TO
THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE FOR NOT RESPONDING WHEN NEEDED.
THIS FEE CAN BE SENT WITH THIS INFORMATION THROUG MONEY GRAMÂ
RECIEVERS NAME………Ogugua Hycenth
Okpala,
COUNTRY……… BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY…………......COTONUO
TEST
QUESTION…….HOW MUCH
ANSWER…………$150.00
MTCN………………?
SENDERS NAME....?
 EMAIL ME NOW SO THAT I CAN PROVIDE THE MONEY GRAM INFORMATION
TO YOU AS URGENT AS I CAN. WAIT FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE TODAY FOR US TO PRECED
TRANSFER YOUR FUND AS I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
BEST REGARDS
MR ABERT RONALD
Money
Gram International Bank Transfer
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