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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. )
- 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: "Mrs Theresa Tylor" <"ww."@eos.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs Theresa Tylor" <ww.unionoffice1@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2017 23:07:50 +0900 (JST)
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS NEEDED
Attention Please:
Complement of the season,We have finally deposited the check of your fund
$4.800`000`00USD through Western Union department after our final meeting
held
last week regarding your over due long payment. All you will do is to contact
Western Union director Mr.Martin Udachi via email and He will give you
direction on how you will be receiving the funds daily.Remember to send him
your Full information to avoid any mistake or wrong transfer such as,
Your receiver's name:
Address:
City:
State:
Country:
Telephone Number:
Nationality:
Your Next Of Kin:
Test question:
Answer:
sex:
age:
Attach copy of your ID:
Though,Mr.Martin Udachi has sent $4,800 .00 in your name on friday 13th of Jan
2017 so contact Mr.Martin Udachi on this email adders; [ww.unionoffice1@gmail.
com]
or you call him phone as soon as you receive this email and tell him to
give you the Mtcn#,sender' name Text Question and answer to pick the
$4,800 .
00 Please do let us know as soon as you received all your over long due
payment.
Best Regards.
Hon: Mrs Theresa Tylor
Chairman federal Ministry of Finance I.M.F
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Anti-fraud resources:
