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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million british pounds" (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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Richard Phillips" <richardphillips_at02@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: "Mr. Richard Phillips" <info.at201@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 10:38:24 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Business Proposal....?
UBS AG
Postfach 8098
Zurich Switzerland
Swiss Clearing Number: 230
Postal Account: 80-2-2
SWIFT: UBSW CH ZH 80A
Web site: WWW.UBS.com
Dear Friend,
I am an investment consultant working with Bank UBS AG Zurich at their
offshore department Zurich Switzerland.I will be happy to work this
deal out with you if you have a corporate or personal Bank Account and
if you are capable to keep TOP SECRET.
I need your co-operation to transfer the above mentioned sum
£230,000.000.00-{Two Hundred & Thirty Million British Pounds
Sterling}. I am confident that you will give your consideration to this proposal and
response positively within a short period of time. I am available to
discuss this proposal with you and to answer any questions you may
have in regard to this fund.
If you are not familiar with Swiss Dormant Accounts and profile,
please take a moment of your very busy schedules to read about Swiss
dormant accounts:website;<http://www.crt-ii.org/2001_list/publication_list1_A.phtm>
If you know that you are capable to handle large or small amount on
trust and can keep secret and ready to take 40% of any amount I
transfer to your account from the dormant account and I will take 60%,
send the following information by return }
Send the account information as below:
Bank name...........
Bank address..................
Account no.....................
Swift code....................
Account name.................
Beneficiary address...........
Your phone no................
Your Occupation..worker................
Age.
I look forward to discussing this opportunity further with you.
Sincerely,
Mr Richard Phillips
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