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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:
- "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
- uba_bank_benin@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "UBA BANK BENIN ATM Payment Department" <inlandrevenuedivisionbenin@gmail.com>
Reply-To: uba_bank_benin@mail.ru
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 04:17:04 +0600
Subject: YOUR ATM VISA CARD
Attn:Our Customer
The Ministry Of Finance Benin Republic was notify us your Email and your
address as those that is paid to wrong people in Africa since Past years
and your fund still remain unclaimed and after meeting held on 7th of Feb
2016.
The Executive Governor of Ministry Of Finance Benin Republic Dr. Felix
Martins has instructed this UBA BANK Plc ATM Payment Department to Code
your total sum of US$17.5M.Usd into ATM VISA CARD for Easy delivery to
your destination address for you to make use of your CARD in any ATM
MACHINE around you.
Executive Governor of Ministry Of Finance Benin Republic Dr. Felix Martins
have paid the delivery fee of your ATM VISA Card, He paid it Because the
ATM VISA Card of USD$17.5.million has no less than three WEEKS to expire
and when it expires, the money will go into Government Purse because you
have paid a lot of money to wrong people which the Ministry of Finance
Benin Republic has decided to help you pay the Money so that the ATM VISA
Card will not expire In view of that the United Bank for Africa ATM
Payment Department want you to pay only your re-activation fee of $69usd
for immediate used of your
CARD and you will advised to send the money today so that your ATM VISA
CARD will be re-activate and get it delivered to your home Address through
Diplomatic System without any further delay.
Please bear it in mind that there is no way the money can be deducted from
the card because that is against the law and you should be Informed that
the ATM card and the pin code would be enclosed in the envelope and you
can make. Withdrawals from the ATM CARD any moment You receive the parcel.
The Receivers Information for the $69usd is as follows: MONEY/GRAM money
transfer
Receivers name:=====COLINS EGO
Country: ===========Benin Republic
City:==============Cotonou
Text;Question:======When
Answer;=========== Today
Amount:============$69usd
Sender s name and Address=====
And you can also forward your full Address to avoid mistake on the
Delivery of your ATM VISA CARD
1.YOUR FULL NAMES:...........
2. BENEFICIARY NAME:..........
3.ADDRESS:...................
4.TEL PHONE:.................
5. OCCUPATION:................
6. COUNTRY:...................
7.SEX:.......................
As soon as payment is made, do send an email with the 10-Digit MTCN
numbers so that we can proceed with dispatching of your parcel without
Wasting time. Be rest assured that the $69usd is the only payment you
will have to make for the delivery of the ATM card and nothing more.
The ATM CARD re- activate charges is only $69usd and as soon as payment is
confirmed we shall immediately dispatch your parcel and Email you with the
DHL tracking numbers so as for you to be able to track your parcel online
and know when it gets to your home to receive it.
Yours faithful,
Regards,
Phone. +229-630-112-40.
E-mail;uba_bank_benin@mail.ru
Mr.John Carto
UBA BANK Plc ATM Payment Department
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