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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- michaelgary@pisem.net (Pisem; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: GEO Moore <georgemoore11@gtdgdjdkjh.jp.tn>
Reply-To: <georgemoore@qip.ru>
Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2016 17:42:18 +0100
Subject: RE: CALL THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ON THIS NUMBER (424) 252-7500 ASAP
RE: CALL THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ON THIS NUMBER (424) 252-7500 ASAP
>From the Desk of Dr. George Moore
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND(IMF)
AGENT NIGERIA.
MR. MICHAEL GARY HAS ARRIVED WITH YOUR CONSIGNMENT FUND, CONTACT HIM NOW WITH THE FOLLOWING PHONE NUMBER: (424) 252-7500
This is to clearly inform you that the courier service man by name DIP. MICHAEL GARY i sent to deliver your cash inheritance funds over $2.5Million loaded in two trunk boxes has successfully arrived your country and he is at (Los Angeles International Airport California USA) and urgently needs your attention to direct him to the nearest airport to your door step.
Honestly speaking he is not aware of the content of the two boxes because the first time we tried sending the two boxes to you,the first diplomat made away with the boxes arriving your country due to the fact that he knew the content and was later apprehended in Brazil.
So i need you to contact him at once to enable him leave the airport as fast as he can to avoid the boxes been tampered knowing that the papers covering the boxes are said to be carrying HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT as he was equally told too.
These are the details of the courier service man, contact him immediately and give him the nearest airport to your house and other information he needs to reach quick and faster to enable him deliver to your hands.
Name= DIPLOMAT MICHAEL GARY, Contact him on his private email address= (michaelgary@pisem.net) also call him or text him on this phone number = (424) 252-7500.
Please you can reach me through this number/email for further clarifications(+234 812-727-8425) E-mail=(georgemoore@qip.ru)
Best Regards
Dr. George Moore
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND(IMF)
AGENT NIGERIA.
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