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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- dmk150dmk@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Foreign Affairs" <dmk@mfa.gov.ng>
Reply-To: dmk150dmk@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2015 08:29:23 -0700
Subject: Payment Authentication (Confirm Receipt)
Re: PAYMENT AUTHENTICATION
I am Dr. Martins Mbadiwe, Chairman Bureau of Foreign Contract Review; my
office Monitors, Control and Transfer of all foreign contracts payments for the West African States.
We have been mandated to work on a list of foreign contractors, which could not be transferred to some nominated accounts as these accounts have been identified either as ghost accounts, unclaimed deposits and over-invoiced sum etc. we (I and my two colleagues) write to present you to the federal government that you are among these funds beneficiaries. On this note; WE WISH TO HAVE A DEAL WITH YOU AS REGARDS TO THE UNPAID CERTIFIED CONTRACT FUND WITH VALUE US$12.8 Million (twelve million eight hundred thousand United States Dollars) only. We have the aforementioned amount payment file and we intend to change the data to your name to enable you receive the fund into your bank account as the bonafide beneficiary.
I have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions I received 2
days ago from the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Contract Payments/Foreign Debts to submit the List of payment reports / expenditures and audited reports of revenues. Among several others, I have decided to remit this sum following my idea that we have a deal/agreement and I am going to do this legally by getting the paper work done officially in order to give you a legal backing.
MY CONDITIONS.
1. You will give I and my colleagues 70% of the total contract funds as soon as you confirm it in your designated bank ccount.
2. You will keep 30% for yourself
3. This deal must be kept in absolute confidentiality forever and all
correspondence will be strictly by email / telephone for security reasons.
4. There should be no third parties involvement as most problems associated with fund release are caused by agents or representatives.
If you AGREE with my conditions, l advise you on what to do immediately and the transfer process will commence without delay as I will proceed to fix your name on the Payment schedule instantly to meet the mandate giving to my department.
We are waiting for your prompt response.
Yours Sincerely.
Dr. Martins Mbadiwe
Chairman Bureau of Foreign Contract Review
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Garki-Abuja - Nigeria
Email: dmk150dmk@yahoo.co.jp
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