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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.
- 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. )
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- 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.
- wunionmoneytransferbenin65@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barrister Anthony . K. Okota" <barr_anthonyk.okota@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2013 09:44:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONTACT HIM URGENT.
Hello Dear,
I have contacted you because I have sent you the first transfer of $5000 from your winning funds total amount of $200,000.00USD. Therefore you need to contact Western Union agent Mr. David Wilson to give you the transfer payment information and MTCN code immediately or call him.
Western Union Agent: Mr. David Wilson.
Email :(wunionmoneytransferbenin65@yahoo.com)
Office#: +229 96 41 99 31.
Therefore you are to send to him your direct telephone number for easy communication.
Please try to contact him today to enable him forward the MTCN code information to you. Therefore indicate the registration Code Numbers: EB-2237 to him, when contacting or calling him, He will be sending you $5000. 00 daily as per our board meeting discussion with him today.
Do get in touch with me once you have got the transfer completed thank you.
Sincerely,
Barr. Anthony K. Okota.
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Anti-fraud resources:
