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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
- 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 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.
- ecobank.nigeria22@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER <hhjhjhjhjhhjhjhhjjhjhjhj@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ecobank.nigeria22@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 12:28:25 +0100
Subject: FROM WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
--
ATTENTION CUSTOMER,
DEAR SIR/MADAM.
THERE IS AN ISSUE INVOLVING $5.9M WHICH WAS CALLED TO OUR BANK (ECO-BANK)
FROM THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE CONCERNING YOUR COMPENSATION OF $5.9M
HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AND AN INSTRUCTION HAS
COME DIRECTLY FROM DR. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA OF MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
HE ASKED US TO START SENDING YOUR FUND INSTALL MENTALLY $4000 PER A DAY
THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. THIS TYPE OF TRANSFER MEANS YOU WILL
BE RECEIVING $4000 EVERY DAY THROUGH WESTERN UNION UNTIL THE TOTAL OF $5.9M
IS COMPLETELY TRANSFERRED TO YOU.
TODAY, OUR BANK HAS EFFECTED YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4000 THROUGH WESTERN
UNION.NOW YOU HAVE TO CONTACT REV PAUL O.JAMES ON HIS CONTACT BELOW AS HE
IS THE PERSON UNCHARGED OF YOUR
PAYMENT.
THE WESTERN UNION AGENT IS:
NAME: REV PAUL O.JAMES
EMAIL:ecobank.nigeria22@gmail.com
MONEY SENT THROUGH PETER JOE, AMOUNT SENT $4,000.00 TO YOU TODAY. SO
CONTACT REV PAUL O.JAMES ON ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS AND TELL HIM TO GIVE YOU
NEEDED INFORMATION AND ALSO FOR HIM
TO HELP YOU PICK THE $4,000.00.
RECONFIRM YOUR ADDRESS
(1) YOUR FULL NAME: ................
(2)YOUR PHONE NUMBER: ...................
(3)YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS: ..................
(4)YOUR COUNTRY:.......................
CONTACT REV PAUL O.JAMES ASAP ON HOW TO GET THE PAYMENT INFORMATION,
YOURS IN SERVICE.
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DR. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA.
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Anti-fraud resources:
