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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "money_gramtransfer@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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: MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE <gds_dhd@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE <money_gramtransfer@qq.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 13:11:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: WELL-COME TO MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE
 COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.Â
OFFICE NUMBER +229-6100-8979OFFICE Email(money_gramtransfer@qq.com)
website. www.moneygram.com
 Dear Customer WELL-COME TO MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE.
WE THE BOARD MEMBERS OF MONEY GRAM OFFICE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL AND WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND TO YOU FROM OUR  MONEY GRAM OFFICE HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC,AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $7,000.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE ALL YOUR TOTAL PAYMENT WHICH IS THE SUM OF $2.7 Million  AS SCHEDULED IN OUR OFFICE HERE.
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO COPY OUT THE PAYMENT INFORMATION AS BELOW AND VISIT ANY OF OUR MONEY GRAM OFFICE AROUND YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY TO PICK UP YOUR FUND . OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FUNDS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH.
Use the below info to pick up your money now.Reference #: 81135224Amount: $7,000Text question: what cityText Answer: QueenSender name.... joseph chilokwuSenders address: Ankpa Road Opposite Tunde Motors,Cotonou,Benin Republic. DO LET ME KNOW ONCE YOU PICK UP THE MONEY FROM ANY MONEY GRAM OFFICE IN YOUR COUNTRY SO THE MANAGEMENT WILL SEND YOU THE SECOND TRANSFER IMMEDIATELY.
Call me on this number +229-61008979 once you are back from Money Gram.
Feel free to reach us on the above email address.Customer Care Case Management Team Money Gram International
DR.JOSE MALLAMCALL +229-61008979
DIRECTORGENERAL MONEY GRAM INTERNATIONAL BENIN REPUBLIC.
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