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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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "abidjan" (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.
- 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: "Pastor smith kewell." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pastorsmithkewell75@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2016 02:12:02 +0430
Subject: Attn my dear beloved in Christ.
Attn my dear beloved in Christ.
Greetings to you, I received your message and understand that you have been giving instruction by a one miss Monica smith to contact me in the respect of a bank check valued $300,000.00USD left with me on your behalf. Meanwhile, i just talk with the postal mail delivery service here consigning the delivery and he explained to me that it is going to take only 9 workings days for the arrival and was going to cost only $55 for the cost of sending it. Below is information requested from you to enable me registered your your package with them immediately
Full name
Full address
Current telephone number
Copy of ID
please respond ASAP and confirm this information with me. You can as well send the required $55 to my full name and address via western union or money gram money transfer
Name. Pastor smith kewell
City. Abidjan
Country. Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast
I will be waiting to receive the transfer information from you together with the needed information to enable us conclude this noble delivery once and for all. Thank you and God bless
Yours in the service
Pastor smith kewell.
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Anti-fraud resources:
