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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "deutsche.post@secretarias.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.
- 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.
- deutsche.post@yahoo.de (Yahoo, Germany; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Glory Peterson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <glory.peterson@ymail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 07:51:20 +0100
Subject: Contact Deutsche Post Courier Ltd regarding the delivery of your package
Hello,
Its been quite a while that i have not heard from you. I want you to contact Deutsche Post Courier Ltd regarding the delivery of your package. The content of your package itself is a Bank Draft worth of $3,500,000.00.and I am sending this email because i want you to know that your package has been registered on a Special Order with them. What you have to do now is to contact the Delivery manager for immediate dispatch of your package to your residential address.
It will take only two working days (48 hours) for your package to be delivered to you.Delivery charges fees have been paid by Me before the package was registered.
You will have to pay a sum of ($230) to the Deutsche Post Delivery Department being for the Security Keeping Fee of the Deutsche Post Company as stated in their privacy terms & condition page.I would have paid the Security Keeping fee,but they do not accept such payment for not knowing when you will be responding to them.
I hope that you contact Delivery manager as soon as possible with the details given below:
Deutsche Post Courier Ltd
Contact Person: Wolfgang Ullrich/Sarah Mark
Email: (Deutsche.Post@yahoo.de) (Deutsche.Post@secretarias.com)
Phone: +234-070-8117-5153
This is the SHIPMENT CODE: CPEL/OWN/9856
PARCEL #: EG2272
kindly,re-confirm your Postal address and telephone number to them.
Thanks
Glory Peterson
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Anti-fraud resources:
