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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- dr.ray_mathew@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: DR RAY MATHEW <made.self43@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: DR RAY MATHEW <dr.ray_mathew@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:17:53 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: WORLD FUND DISCOVERY MANAGEMENT LTD
Attn,Dear Friend,
I am DR. RAY MATHEW Director of World Fund Financial Management and Payment Bureau. I decided to contact you because of the prevailing financial report reaching my office in Benin Republic. This is to inform you about our plan to send your fund to you via diplomatic cash delivery; this system will be easier for you and for us. We are going to send your funds total sum of $6.5Million USD to you via courier service. The package is accompanied with every document that covers these funds. Note that this fund is coming in 2 security proof boxes which are sealed with Synthetic nylon seal and padded with machine. I will use my position to release this fund to you. The boxes are coming with a Courier agent who will deliver them to you at your home address after clearing the package at the airport.
All you are requiring to do now is to reconfirm the following information.
1. Your full Name: _________
2. Your home Address: ________
3. Your Age & Sex: ____________
4. Your Occupation: ___________
5. Your Cell Phone: _________
6. Your State of Origin: ______
7. Your Country: ______________
8. Your Scan Copy of Identity__
9. Your Contact Email Address: ____
Note: The Agent does not know the content in these boxes, the content was declared to him as Sensitive Photographic Film Materials. I have obtained the tag that will be tagged on the boxes which I will dispatch along with the security inner Keys of the consignment package to enable you access them as soon as they are delivered to you.
Reply to this email:Â dr.ray_mathew@yahoo.com
Regards,
DR. RAY MATHEW
WORLD FUND DISCOVERY MANAGEMENT LTD
TEL: +229-67577961
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Anti-fraud resources:
