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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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: "Ambassador James F. Entwistle"
Reply-To: <ambassadorjames89@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 21:37:50 +0100
Subject: Ambassador James F. Entwistle
Embassy of the United States of America Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive Central =
District Area, Abuja. CHECK HERE VIEW MY DATA: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov=
/biography.html Dear Friend THIS IS Ambassador James F. Entwistle U.S. Amba=
ssador to Nigeria. UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA. I SHALL B=
E COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON TUESDAY AND I WILL BE B=
RINGING YOUR FUNDS THROUGH AN ATM MASTER CARD OF $15M ALONG WITH ME BUT THI=
S TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I=
AM A US GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. =
AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR ADDRE=
SS. (SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING=
THE PACKAGE). YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME =
WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF A=
ND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT. CHECK HERE: http://nigeria.usem=
bassy.gov/biography.html THERE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE GREAT DOUBT AND DI=
STRUST IN YOUR HEART IN RESPECT TO THIS EMAIL COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT SO=
MANY MISCREANTS AND IMPOSTERS(SCAMMERS) HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE INTER=
NET TO FACILITATE THEIR NEFARIOUS DEEDS, THEREBY MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFIC=
ULT FOR GENUINE AND LEGITMATE BUSINESS CLASS PERSONS TO GET ATTENTION AND R=
ECONGNITION YOUR PACKAGE($15M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKA=
GE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $250.THE FEE=
MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL NECESSARY =
ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US. YOU SHOULD SEND THE=
FEE DIRECTLY TO THE CARGO REGISTRATION OFFICER WITH THE INFO BELOW- Receiv=
er Name; Fumnanya Odiobara Address: Lagos,Nigeria amount MTCN:.............=
.. Address: Lagos,Nigeria Text Question: When? Answer: Now. amount $250 AS =
SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION. MY =
FLIGHT IS TUESDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVE=
RY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF =
YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE. SIGN Ambassador James F. Entwistle U.S. Am=
bassador to Nigeria US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA TELEPHONE NUMBER CHECK HERE VI=
EW MY DATA: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
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Anti-fraud resources:
