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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:
- "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. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- moneygramtransfer97@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev. JOHN OBII" <"www."@dune.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Rev. JOHN OBII" <moneygramtransfer97@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2016 01:18:45 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention Dear,Your payment has been sent
Attention Dear,Your payment has been sent
Your full compensation payment worths(6.500,000 USD) has been approved by
the Board of directors of ECOBANK today. You will be receiving (5000) per
day through money gram. So you have to Contact DR FRANK DAVID the Manager
money gram urgent remitting office for direction on how to receive your fund
and He will give you direction on how you will be receiving the funds daily
and Make sure that the bellow stated codes are identified while contacting
the office for security reasons so that he will be sure to avoid wrong
transfer. The code as follows (MG.61 X 0000 X MG!!) Email;
(moneygramtransfer97@yahoo.com), Tel: +22998770344
Receiver's Name__
Address: _______
Country: _________
Phone Number: ____
Also do let me know immediately they have started sending your transfer,but
NOTE; try to comply with them to enable him serve you better.
SINCERELY
Rev. JOHN OBII
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