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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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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: Sarah <test@jiuyiad.com>
Reply-To: <sarahgwu@rediffmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:33:41 +0000
Subject: IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR PARTIAL PAYMENT VALUED US$5.2M ONLY VIA ATM VISA CARD
United Nation Organization Information Section
210 Euston Road London NW1 2BE United Kingdom
(U.K) DOCKET NO. OP 292.
Our Ref: UN/BKL/STB
IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR PARTIAL PAYMENT VALUED US$5.2M ONLY VIA ATM VISA CARD
Dear: Sir/Madam,
We wish to inform you that your approve partial payment of USD$5.2 Million from the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been released and ready to be paid to you via ATM VISA CARD which you will use to withdraw the US$5.2Million from any ATM Machine in any part of the world.
We have mandated the AfriCard bank, to issue an ATM VISA CARD and PIN# which you will use to withdraw the fund from any ATM machine in any part of the world but the maximum amount you can withdraw per day is US$20,000.00. You are strongly advice immediately to contact Mr.Femi Ogunieye the FedEx courier officer for the shipment of your ATM CARD. Tel: +2348036639379 EMAIL: femi.fedex@alainpatenaude-ca.com don't forget to include your information such as:
1) Your Full Name.
2) Your Contact Address.
3) Your Tel Phone/ Mobile
The ATM VISA CARD approved on your name has been sent to Mr.Femi Ogunieye and he is waiting for your above information to enable him process and send you the ATM VISA CARD via courier service. So make sure you contact him right away with your full contacts/mailing information and tell him that you received a message from Mrs.Sarah Egwu the ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT UNITED NATION OFFICE, Instructing you to contact him for immediate release of your ATM VISA CARD.
You should contact him as directed and wait for your ATM VISA CARD within 72hours as soon as you furnish with all the requirement needed to dispatch the ATM VISA CARD to you. You are warned to disregard other contact or any communication you have with other offices from now henceforth.
Please we are very sorry for the plight you have gone through in the past. Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept out congratulations!
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Sarah Egwu
INCHARGE ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT UNITED NATION OFFICE
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