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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:
- "good day friend" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- foreignremittancedepartment75@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Alhaji Rasheed Bello." <ambassadormichaelraynoroffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: foreignremittancedepartment75@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:41:54 +0100
Subject: Good Day Friend!!!
Good Day Friend!!!
This is from Alhaji Rasheed Bello,Manager of the account audit
department African Development Bank Group Republic of Benin,this is to
inform you that your total payment of US$5.6 Million,(Five million six
hundred thousand united states dollars)has been mandated to us to be
transferred to you through our online banking system.
What this entails is that an online account has been set up for your
total payment of US$5.6 Million.You will receive the online account
details as soon as you respond to this email,and once you have your
online account details you can be able to wire funds to any of your
local accounts where you can easily withdraw fund.you will be directed
to the foreign remittance department upon your response to this
message and they will provide you with all the information you need to
be able to login to your online account and start making withdrawals.
ALHAJI RASHEED BELLO.
Manager,Audit Department African Development Bank Group Republic of
Benin African Development Bank Group
(foreignremittancedepartment75@gmail.com)
Contact number:+229 98370956
Sincerely
Alhaji Rasheed Bello.
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