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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:
- "% of every payment" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
- 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.
- +447035912890 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- w.oyster@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Whitstable Oyster Company <info@oysterfishery.co.uk>
Reply-To: w.oyster@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 29 May 2014 02:13:38 +0800
Subject: COMPANY PERSONNEL IS NEEDED URGENTLY IN AUSTRALIA.
COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE IS NEEDED URGENTLY IN AUSTRALIA.
I am Barrie Green, Director of the Human Resources Department of Whitstable
Oyster Fishery Company Which is located in the United Kingdom. Our company
seeks reliable, efficient and dedicated personnel in Australia who
will represent the company's interest and also carryout basic operations, because
we do not have any branch there.
The job is a flexible and home based one and can be carried out by any
person without interrupting his or her daily activities. All the job entails
are:
-Keeping records of payment made by our customers
-Receiving and Performing wire transfers for the company
Basic Payment Plan/Benefits
- you will be entitled with the sum of 10% of every payment you will receive
daily.
-monthly salary $7,000 USD( This will come up after we most had credited your
daily performances)
-And a 10% increment on International Fund Transfer Commission (IFTC) after
3 months
-Promotion to an account officer of the company after creditable
performances.
If you are satisfied with the conditions stated above and you are willing to
work with our company in this regard, then get back to us with a reply
via E-mail: (w.oyster@yahoo.co.uk)
Sincerely Yours,
Barrie Green
Telephone: +447035912890
(Director, Human Resource Department).
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Anti-fraud resources:
