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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",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)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. VITUS UCHE" <dhlcompany111@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "MR. VITUS UCHE" <david.kenneth@hotmail.ru>
Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 01:47:57 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam
Dear Sir/Madam
This is to official inform you that we have been having meetings for the past Three (3) Weeks which ended two days ago with Mr. Jim Yong Kim the World Bank president and other seven continent presidents on the Congress we treated on solution to Scam victim problems.
Note: we have decided to contact you following the reports we received from Anti-Fraud International Monitoring Group your name/email has been submitted to us therefore the United Nations have agreed to compensate you with the sum of US$2,500,000.00 ( Two Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars($) Only. this compensation is also including international business that failed due to Government problems etc.
We have arranged your payment through our MasterCard ATM which is the latest instruction from the World Bank president Mr. Jim Yong Kim therefore be advice to contact our Representative Agent. David Villa who is in position to release your MasterCard ATM contact him with the bellow email & phone number and make sure you forwards your full details as listed bellow.
Contact Person: David Villa
Telephone +229-96253962
1. Full Name:......
2. Country:..........
3. Delivery Address:.........
4. Telephone..........:& Occupation.......
5. Your Age...... /Sex....................
Once again for the collection of your MasterCard ATM contact our representative Mr. David Villa to enable you confirm your payment without further delay and note that any other contact you made out side his office is at of your own risk.
Thanks
MR. VITUS UCHE
Deputy Secretary-General (U.N)
CC: Jim Yong Kim World Bank president
CC: Mr. Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General
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Anti-fraud resources:
