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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. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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: Ruth Harper <officefls20@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Ruth Harper <dhl-customer-service@universitarios.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2015 08:29:59 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good news. we have been release your delivery.
Attention My Dear
I'm Just received a call from Frank Larry. the Director Of DHL COURIER Company from Benin that your compensation cash ATM CARD payment which I sent returned back due to wrong address provided, They need your full information for the delivery to take place:you have to reconfirm address to DHL FOREIGN DELIVERY SECTION your current address and phone number receiver name to them. I will not be reached till June 20th, 2016. Your amount in the Card is US$4.830.00 Million and the PIN code of your ATM CARD is: in the parcel do not dispose the information to them only that is your family treasure.They told me that their keeping fee is $35. Per day.
Call Mr.Frank Larry.+229 9822 7496
Secondly,the only money you are to pay for the transfer to take place is security keeping fee which is $35 per a day for the delivery to be approval payment certification from the government of Benin,and you are giving a limited time to send the payment and please be advise that you are to send the payment to United Embassy office in Benin and you are to contact the FOREIGN DELIVERY SECTION to advice you where you will send the payment and when you receivery your DELIVERY SECTION.
Mrs. Ruth Harper
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