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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:
- "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. )
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "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)
- 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.
- info.bnkuba0003@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor" <info.bnkuba0o3@gmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: info.bnkuba0003@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2017 02:38:43 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Dear customer,
Dear customer,
Compliment of the season, how are you doing and your family. This is to
bring to your notice that I have finally
made arrangement with the issuing bank that will transfer your total fund
sum of US$5.500,000.00 from MONEY GRAM
DEPARTMENT BENIN REPUBLIC to your nominated bank account without further
delay.
You will receive your fund through online wire transfer as implies by the
management to avoid further delay,
below is the contact information of the bank. Contact them as soon as you
can so they will instruct you further
on how to receive your fund.
Bank Director:...Dr Madibe Nbongo
Bank Name:...United Bank For Africa ( UBA BENIN PLC )
Bank E Mail:...info.bnkuba0003@gmail.com
Bank Tel:....+229-992-51086
Do let me know once you contact them so you will receive your funds
without further delay.
Thanks and Remind bless
Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor
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This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
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Anti-fraud resources:
