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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- ub.abankofbenin@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: UBA Bank plc Of Benin <menicom@alice.it>
Reply-To: ub.abankofbenin@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 20:51:02 +0200 (CEST)
Subject:
This is to officially inform you that an Inter-Switch ATM Card with a fund
worth ($685,000.00 USD) Six Hundred And Eighty Five Thousand US
Dollars only has been accredited in your favor by UBA Bank Of Benin plc in
conjunction with world bank (I.M.F) Your Personal Identification Numberare
ATM-
4918691859180912. The ATM Card has a daily withdrawal limit of $5,000 USD per
Day.Contact with your
details as shown below:
Names:....................
Age:................
Tel:...........................
Occupation:........
Address:................
Country:....................
Contact email: ub.abankofbenin@yahoo.com
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Dr. Peter William
Tell:+229 99487052
This email and any attachments to it contain information that is confidential
and may be privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient
(s). If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of
distribution, copying or use of this communication or the
information contained in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If
you
have received this email in error,
Mrs Obinna James
FROM UBA Bank plc Of Benin
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Anti-fraud resources:
