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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "registration 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. )
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Cynthia R. Collins" <officefile00159@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Cynthia R. Collins" <mrs.cynthiarosecollins@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2015 04:54:41 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Mrs.Cynthia Rose. Collins
From: Desk Of Mrs.Cynthia Rose. Collins,
The Director Of EcoBank Benin Republic
YOUR REF/PAYMENTS CODE: 06654
$10.5MILLION USD.
Attention:
Today is thursday being 22th of August, 2015. This is to inform you that on 27th of this August is the last date for you to send the registration fee to enable me
assist you register your fund with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) where the will issue you the International Transfer Coverage Certificate that will authorize
Eco Bank International Remittance Department to effect the transfer of your compensation fund into your bank account without any further delay.
Your fund will credit into your bank account within 48 hours you send the registration fee which is $70 .The problem which you have is that you have not ask your self
why you have not be able to receive your fund, the answer is that your fund have not been registered with the Internatonal Monetary Fund (IMF). The United Nations and
United State Government In Collaboration with World Bank concluded that before such amount of money can transfer to any country the beneficiary have to register
his/her fund with the International Monetary Fund to enable them issue you the International Transfer Coverage Certificate that will enable the International
Remittance Department to credit your fund into your bank account.
I advice you to follow the United Nations and United State Government In Collaboration with World Bank instruction to register your fund with the International
Monetary Fund before it's too late. It will take only but 48hours to enable your fund reflect into your bank account.
Use the below information to send the registration fee as soon as you receive this mail.
Receivers Name: Martins Kalu
Country Benin Republic
City Cotonou
Test Question: In God
Answer: We Trust
Amount: $70
Send the money through money gram or western union send the reference number direct to this mail box immediately you send the registration fee today.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Cynthia Rose. Collins,
Compensation Payment Department.
Eco Bank Plc
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Anti-fraud resources:
