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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:
- "account opening fee" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "money-gram" (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. )
- "account opening" (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. )
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "account opening form" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "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.
- 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.
- mr.johnruben1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. John Ruben" <mr.jeffnicholas@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "Mr. John Ruben" <mr.johnruben1@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 17:32:15 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: GOOD NEWS MY DEAR FRIEND
 Dear Customer:
I acknowledge the receipt of your mail and we are apologize for our late response to your e-mail due to we are busy attending other customers.
This is to confirm to you that we have received an irrevocable instruction from the office of the Presidency and the Ministry of Justice and bank of Africa to affect the transfer of your fund to your foreign account.
However, your payment file was submitted to our bank UBA UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA Benin Republic to transfer your Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars ($500,000,00) into your nominated bank account.
Today the board of directors UBA UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA had their final meeting concerning your fund and we came into conclusion that your fund should be transfer into your account as soon as you send us cost of open new account which is $45 dollars only.
To this effect, after a long deliberation with the board of directors UBA Bank for Africa Benin Republic including the Company where this fund was deposited before, we hereby confirm to you that the payment have been approved to be paid to you without further delay as soon as you open new account in our UBA Online Banking system.
To open an online new accounts with us to enable you have full access to your fund, you are advise to send the sum of $45 being for UBA Bank Online Account Opening Form and return back with the account opening fee of $45 and send it to OUR ACCOUNTANT name Mr. ANOZIE EZE EZEASO, by money gram to Benin Republic.
Email me with the details of payment.
Here is the full information were to send the fee via money-gram and make sure you did not make any mistake three name below.
Receiver Name/ ANOZIE EZE EZEASO
Country / Benin Republic
City / Cotonou
Test Question/ What for?
Answer / Opening Account.
Amount To Be Send / $45
PAYMENT DETAILS TO SEND TO US:
Sender Name..............?
MTCN#..............?
We sincerely hope that the above requirement be sent to us sooner than later for us to proceed with the opening the new account with your name so that you can transfer your fund by your self. Please note that we cannot carry on with the Transfer of funds to you until you have been able to meet up with the requirement of the transfer of your funds.
Note that we have period of (2) working days to conclude this matter.
I wait your early response to move ahead.
Thanks you for your understanding as am looking forwards to hearing a positive respond from you immediately.
Thanks for banking with us Hoping to hear from you.
Contact:.Mr. John Ruben
TEL: +229 68970863
Email: (mr.johnruben1@gmail.com)
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