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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "MONEY GRAM PAYMENT MTCN" <yigitaku@ybulten.com>
Reply-To: unigroup@gmx.com
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 22:12:57 +0100
Subject: Your Money Gram MTCN
My Dear Friend! This is to inform you that I have cashed the Check I been =
expecting and decided to use MoneyGram Money Transfer method to send your o=
wn share of the money which yours is [USD$ 800.000.00] Eight Hundred Thousa=
nd United State Dollars. And I have reached an agreement with MoneyGram Man=
ager this morning to start sending your fund bit by bit till the total fund=
complete. According to the MoneyGram Money Transfer Manager, this morning =
his Secretary has started sending your fund as agreed and following is the =
Pick up details of the fund his Secretary sent to your name this morning: H=
e sent sum of USD$ 18,642.37 while the first payment details is as follow: =
---------------------------------------- Money Transfer# 622-722-43 Sender'=
s Name: John Shabangu Test Question: Money Test Answer: Gram Amount Sent: [=
13,642.37] _________________________________________ Second Payment Details=
is also as follow: ----------------------------------------- Money Transfe=
r# 691-339-72 Sender's Name: Zelpha Ike Test Question: Money Test Answer: G=
ram Amount Sent: [$5,000] __________________________________________ Kindly=
pick up the funds and get back to me so that MoneyGram here will be able t=
o send another payment today. Reply via email: (unigroup@gmx.com) or call m=
e here once you pick up the above payments: +234 7064653481(NG) Waiting to =
hear from you. Schneider Evan.(Human Right Activist) United Nation Economic=
Intelligent Monitory Group,UNHC. Cordinator 01986PAy/JKS.
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Anti-fraud resources:
