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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:
- "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. )
- "westenuniontrafe@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: LAMY JOHN <jhdjfu9@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westenuniontrafe@qq.com
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2016 14:07:39 -0700
Subject: The $4500.00 was sent
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The first $4500.00 was sent today.
Our accountant agent has helped send the first USD $4500.00 to you
through western union so get back to this office of Western union Agent
to pick up this USD $4500 out of the total sum of USD $2.7 million. Call
Mr.Joe Timo immediately you get this E-mail to enable him speed up for
your payment or you send him an e-mail forwarding all the necessary
information required from you so that they will commence on First
Payment with Text Question and Answer / Sender Name for you to pick up
the first payment today. But I will advise that you try and call to
facilitate your payment. we will be sending you $4500 Dollars every day
because to transfer the total money to your account will cost you big
money for the transferring that's why United Nations give us order to be
sending you $4500 Dollars every day and bellow is the information of the
first transfer In your name and you are advised to contact the Western
Union Agent Mr.Joe Timo to give you the complete MTCN for the first
Installment of usd $4500 because the MTCN sent to you now is not
complete as send Eight digit numbers remaining two numbers you will
collect from Mr.Joe Timo, once you have made the contact with him, to
enable you pick up the payment of USD $4500 . Today But i advise you
call Mr.Joe Timo Immediately you receive this e-mail with + 229-66934781
ask him for the two digit numbers of the MTCN:
SENDER'S NAME: ...... VIVIAN JAMES
TEXT QUESTION: ..... HONESTY
ANSWER: ........ ALWAYS
CODE........... 303
MTCN: ......... 9871282082
AMOUNT SENT: ...... $4500.00
Western union Agent: Mr.Joe Timo
E mail: westenuniontrafe@qq.com
Tel: + 229-66934781
Ask him to give you the mtcn, sender name, to pick the $4500.00. I told
him to keep sending you USD $4500.00 daily until the payment of USD
$2.7Million is completed. Again forward him
(1) Your Full Name: ....
(2) Telephone number: ....
(3) Address: ....
(4) Country: .....
(5) Age / sex: .....
So that he will be sure that you are the right person to start receive
USD $4500 out of the total sum of USD $2.7Million.
From government office payment
Call him immediately to give you Question and Answer Contact person.
Tel: + 229-66934781.
Regard's
MR. LAMY JOHN
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