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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:
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "million us 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)
- "million 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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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: "mr.peter godwin" <mr.peter@alto.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "mr.peter godwin" <mr.peter_godwin@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2015 07:21:10 +0900 (JST)
Subject: SUPREME COURT OF BENIN REPUBLIC.
SUPREME COURT OF BENIN REPUBLIC.
From: Aloysius Katsina-Alu Chief,
Our Ref:SCB JSC SBR 175 WD 0185
Justice of the Supreme Court of BENIN REPUBLIC
Attention Please
Provision of Affidavit of Claim Certificate for Legal
Cover Protection of US$21.5Million Dollars.
Please let us start by apologizing to your humble and noble person,
this is because your payment file worth the total sum of
us$21.5Million us dollars has just been brought to my desk for
cancellation which i have to taken my time to look into your payment
file to know why your over due payment should be cancel and i found
out that it was because of your inability to secure your RELEASE
APPROVAL ORDER CERTIFICATE(RAOC) that is why they have resolved to
have your payment of us $21.5Million us dollars cancel.
However, due to humanitarian ground and sympathy and because i do not
want your payment cancel so i immediately called up the president to
explain your matter to him as regards your payment and he personally
called up a meeting which was resolved that all payment charges and
any payment fee be reduced to it's barest menial in order to enable
you afford to pay the fee so that your payment will release to you
today.
To this end it will interest you to know that every and any
fee/charges required of you have been reduced to only the sum of
$250.00 us dollars this step is in order to enable you have this only
fee paid so that your release approval order certificate (RAOC) is
procured and acquired in other to enable the speedy accelerated
transfer of your $21.5 Million us dollars into any bank account of
your choice.
Please we want you to know that you have till the end of today to
effect the required payment so we can clear, release and effect the
transfer of your fund worth us$21.5 Million us dollars in our care to
any bank account of your choice, so we advice you to pay the $250. us
dollars through the western union money transfer or money gram below
information and send back the payment details to this office
immediately the payment is effected by you now.
Send the $140 us dollars through Western Union or Money gram.
Receiver's Name:Alex Udo
City: Cotonou
Country: Benin Republic
Question: In God?
Answer: We Trust
Amount: $140 us dollars only
After payment has been made kindly send the below info for pick!
Sender's Name:...........
MTCN Number:...........
Sender's address:........
Sender's telephone number:......
We want you to know that we are indeed very sorry for any
inconveniences, any delay this must have caused you in having your
fund paid out to you long before now.
You will never ever regret paying the fee. This is a promise to you
after all your pains in the past as we are here to serve you as our
word is our bond to you.
Confirm the receipt of this e-mail by you immediately and be rest
assured that you will be smiling to your bank once you comply with the
above directives now.
Your urgent response to this e-mail now will go a long way in helping
us ensure your payment is released to you within 24 hours of you
acting as instructed.
Looking forward for your immediate response today.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Peter Godwin
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME
COURT OF BENIN. SUPREME COURT OF BENIN REPUBLIC.
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