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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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found 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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
- moneygrambenin590@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Sandra song" <WWW.@athena.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Sandra song" <moneygrambenin590@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2016 05:04:15 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Money gram international bank transf
Attention:
This money gram payment department remitting office have been instructed by the federal ministry of finance and funds transfer order to transfer your total fund of $850,000 00usd to you via money gram.
why our government officials map out your funds to be transfer through money gram is because of insincere/untrustworthy and dishonesty of our bankers, delivery company’s and the western union agents have even formed the habit of given fake control numbers this are the reasons our government officials decided to follow legal procedures of money gram to transfer your fund without passing through difficulties to receive your total funds.
be advised that our government officials has finally agreed to issue out your inheritance funds which suppose to transfer to you since beginning of this year but due to important matters which they want to solve out in respect of your total $850,000.00 usd that delayed your payment since then but thank god that the wholes issues has been solved out now.
Now you are informed that you will be receiving the sum of $6,000.00 usd per day, until your total amount of $850,000.00 usd (five hundred thousand dollars) is transferred completely.
The agent in charge of your fund is Dr Felix zuma. Address is (moneygrambenin590@gmail.com)
Phone number +229 9917-6605.
Fill these below information.
Your receiver’s name
Your country
Your city
Your test question
Your answer
be inform that you have to send the renewing fee of your transfer file which is the sum of $150.00 usd within 1days today because after this 1days there should be a penalties for the late comers and you have to write an application letter to the federal ministry of finance for not responding when needed.
This fee can be sent with this information through money gram
Receiver’s name: ZIRA TUMBA
Country: Benin republic
City: Cotonuo
Test question: how much
Answer: $150.00
Mtcn:
Senders name:
Call or email me now so that I can provide the money gram information to you as urgent as I can.
I wait for your urgent response today for me to proceed on your fund transfer as I was instructed by the federal ministry of finance.
Thanks and god blessing you.
Best regard
Mrs. Sandra song.
Money gram international bank transf
5000 USD
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