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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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- sgt.michael.dickey16@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Sgt. Michael Dickey" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sgt.michael.dickey16@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:40:00 -0500
Subject: HELLO
SEASON GREETING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
I AM SGT. MICHAEL DICKEY, AN OFFICER IN THE US ARMY, AND ALSO A
WEST POINT GRADUATE PRESENTLY SERVING IN THE MILITARY WITH THE 82ND
AIR BORNE DIVISION PEACE KEEPING FORCE CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN
AFGHANISTAN.
WE WERE MOVED TO AFGHANISTAN FROM IRAQ AS THE LAST BATCH,
AND PRAY AT THIS TIME THAT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS STILL VALID, AND I REALLY
WANT TO SOLICIT YOUR ATTENTION IN SAFE KEEPING OF TWO MILITARY TRUNK
BOXES ON MY BEHALF, WHICH I HAVE CONCLUDING WITH THE DELIVERY COMPANY
ON YOUR BEHALF.
I HOPE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED? YOU WILL BE REWARDED HANDSOMELY BY
50/50% IF YOU COULD HELP ME SECURE THE TRUNKS UNTIL I CONCLUDE MY
SERVICE HERE.
PLEASE I URGE YOU TO VIEW THIS NEWS BLOG BELOW FOR SOME INFO
:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7444083.stm
I WAIT FOR YOUR RECONFIRMATION BELOW INFORMATION’S AND CONTACT NOTE
IMMEDIATELY TO ENABLE ME PROCEED.
NOTE THAT YOUR INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO AVOID WRONG DELIVERY
1. NAME:
2. ADDRESS:
3. TELEPHONE:
4. OCCUPATION:
5. COPY OF DRIVERS LICENSE OR ID CARD:
PLEASE WILL EXPLAIN MORE FURTHER WHEN I GET A RESPONSE FROM YOU AND I
WANT YOU TO REPLY BACK TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS: sgt.michael.dickey16@gmail.com
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY.
YOURS FAITHFULLY
SGT. MICHAEL DICKEY
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Anti-fraud resources:
