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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:
- "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. )
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.TONY JESUS" <officefill25@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "Dr.TONY JESUS" <financialbank750@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2014 13:20:33 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: APPROVE OF NEW PERSONAL ACCOUNT WITHOUT OWNER SIGNATURE IS ILLEGAL
This e-mail from Financial Bank Benin is contain confidential or privileged information for 2013-copyright Reserved FINANCAIL BANK PLC, FINANCAIL BANK PLC, FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENTCustomer Care:  financialbank750@yahoo.comOUR REF: 36/OUA/BF/FBB/0/VOL/A1 YOU’RE REF: COT: 03.010.2014TELL:PHONE NUMBER+229 99 61 39 23Telex Unit Foreign Operations
Universal Trust Bank Plc (FBB)
APPROVE OF NEW PERSONAL ACCOUNT WITHOUT OWNER SIGNATURE IS ILLEGAL
ATTENTION:Â
THIS MESSAGE IS MADE TO BE READ BY THE ONLY THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WHERE THIS BANK ARE GOING TO TRANSFER THE MONEY.NOW BE INFORMED THAT THE MONEY WHICH IS DEPOSITED HERE BY YOUR NAME.
ATTENTION MY DEAR  THIS IS TO  LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED  A MESSAGE FROM MR KENNETH  KUYE  REGARDS OF YOUR TRANSFER OF YOUR MONEY AS WE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS TRANSFER OF YOUR MONEY SO FAR THEY STATED THAT THE MONEY SURPOSE TO TRANSFER BEFORE BUT IT FAILS SOME HOW SO NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT GOD HAS HELPED YOU BY YOUR MONEY BEEN DE¨POSITED INTO THIS BANK.
NOW WE CAN WORK ON YOUR INFORMATION ON HOW TO TRANSFER IT INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT Â AS SOON AS YOU PROVIDE YOUR BANK INFORMATION TO AVOID ANY PROBLEM.SO FOLLOW THIS INSTRUCTION IF YOU WANT YOUR MONEY TO TRANSFER INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT ON TUESDAY MORNING.
YOU ARE TO PAY THIS BANK THE SUM OF $195.00 USA DOLLAR TO TRANSFER YOUR FUNDS ON TUESDAY MORNING THIS WEEK.SO WHAT Â YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS TO HUSSLE FOR THE MONEY SO THAT THIS MONEY WILL TRANSFER FROM THIS BANK.
NOW I WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT LAWYER MR TIMOTI Â OTAKA HAS SIGN FOR THEIR AUTHORITY OF TRANSFERING THIS MONEY SO YOU SHOULD GREAT THE MAN VERY WELL BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT HELPS YOU IN THIS MATTER.MONEY TRANSFER WESTERN UNION INFORMATION.
YOUR FULL NAME:.........................YOUR COUNTRY.:...................................NAME OF BANK.:.................YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER.:Code:.......................
My.ADDRESS.:
CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER.......................
OCCUPATION.................................AGE........
SEX.female.............Â
THIS IS INFORMATION YOU WILL Â USE TO SEND THE MONEY Â AS URGENT YOU
READ THIS MESSAGE OK.Â
RECEIVER NAME........... Â Peter IkarTEST QUESTION .............WHO WE TRUSTANSWER ........... IN GODAMOUNT IS $195.00. USA DOLLARSMTCN...........................SENDER NAME..............
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And for further information call our payment release officer: Dr.TONY JESUS on Telephone service on +229 99 61 39 23Thanks for choose Financial  Bank PLC online payment Depatment Benin and cooperation in this message.
Signed/ ApprovedFINANCIAL BANK OF BENIN HEADQUARTER,Address: Telex Unit Foreign Operations,
Cotonou, Republic of Benin.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE:This e-mail from Financial Bank Benin is contain confidential or privileged information for 2014-copyright ReservedÂ
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