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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:
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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.
- 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.
- 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.
- anthonyfrank731@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr John Hll <johnhll@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: anthonyfrank731@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2016 11:22:12 -0800
Subject: Attention Beneficiary.
--
Attention Beneficiary.
RE: Western union African Regional Final Notification on Pending
Payments.
This is to officially notify you that our Western Union African Regional
operations/payment reconciliation Committee has reviewed your payment
file and issued payment authorization order to the Special Transfer Unit
(WUMT-STU) to immediately start transferring your daily $5000 twice
daily until your total amount of $1.500,000.00 USD being part payment of
your fund is paid in full.
This gazette was released after an 8 hour joint meeting of Western Union
International and joint committee of African ministers of finance,
Central Bank of Afrique and US Embassy.This resolution was championed by
the US Embassy due to the numerous complaints levied by American
nationals whose payments has been seized, held or delayed due to
numerous taxes and fees. We have now resolved the hitches and you are
advised to contact the Western Union Money Transfer Special Transfer
Unit for the re-instatement of your payment file.He will be giving you
further directives to this regards.
We apologies for the inconveniences you might have had before while in
the quest to receiving your fund and we assure you that the problem has
been resolved and you can now receive your fund without further delay
through our Special Transfer Unit. Contact the director immediately on
the contact information below and you are mandated to round up with your
re-instatement of your fund within 7 days. This takes immediate effect
from this day.
All beneficiaries that do not comply to this directive within the
stipulated time frame(7 days) will not blame anyone for non-payment as
non processed payment files will be referred back to the Federal reserve
account as unclaimed payment.
STU Contact Information:
WUMT-STU Office
Director: Mr Anthony Frank
Phone: +229 9896 6412
Email: anthonyfrank731@gmail.com
Finally, the first payment has been generated and the MTCN is stated
below (You are required to re-instate your payment folder with STU
office before this transaction can be uploaded to the central system for
pay out)-Senders First & Last Name: ROBERT KING. MTCN: [9521748268], go
ahead and clarify with the STU Officer and start receiving your money.
You have just Seven (7) days to process your payment file.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Yours in service.
Hon. (Mr) John Hll
Chairperson: Payment Reconciliation Board
AFRO-ASIA Chapter.UN-IMF.
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