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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:
- "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)
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- bryanhelms53@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "REV MATT KENNEDY NDU:" <howard.mark0@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bryanhelms53@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:02:09 +0200
Subject: DELIVERY NOTIFICATION
Welcome to United Bank For Africa
Rue 32 32 benise comples cotonoue benin
ATTENTION:
(UBA BANK) has finalize all the necessary arrangement and your fund
worth $3.600.000.00 ) three million six hundred thousand united states
dollars has been uploaded inside a plastic ATM MASTER CARD this moment
your ATM CARD is in EMS OFFICE waiting for you Address were to deliver
it.
Contact the person in charge of your ATM CARD at the EMS office with
the below email his name is Mr. Bryan Helms email :(
bryanhelms53@yahoo.com)PHONE +229 67073040 contact him immediately
with the below required details for him to commence immediately
Your name_
Your country_
Your address_
You= Age/sex_
Direct phone number_
Second email_
Contact him immediately as he is waiting to hear from you as soon as
possible so that you will beat the schedule time to avoid security
keeping charges which will start from tomorrow
Regards,
REV MATT KENNEDY NDU:
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