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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:
- "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)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Scott Forney" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mgbplc@web.bi>
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2017 23:26:02 +0100
Subject: ATTN DEAR/YOUR PAYMENT
ATTN DEAR:
WE FINALLY CONCLUDED TO EFFECT YOUR PAYMENT OF $3.500,000.00 USD VIA MONEY GRAM OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC THIS MORNING BASED ON THE MEETING HELD IN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE AS THE BEST AND EASIER WAY FOR YOU TO CASH YOUR FUNDS IN ANY MONEY GRAM OFFICE NEAR IN YOUR CITY, WELL BASED ON OUR AGREEMENT WITH MONEY GRAM DIRECTOR JOSEPH EZE, YOUR TRANSFER WILL START IMMEDIATELY YOU CONTACTED THEM.
CONTACT THE MONEY GRAM OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC WITH ALL YOUR INFORMATION SUCH AS FOLLOW:
YOUR NAME......
YOUR HOME ADDRESS......
YOUR COUNTY/CITY.....
YOUR AGE/SEX.....
YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER......
YOUR ID COPY.....
YOUR OCCUPATION.....
MONEY GRAM OFFICE:
DIR, JOSEPH EZE
TEL: +229-98759377
E-mail: mgbplc@web.bi
BEST REGARDS,
Mr.Scott Forney
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Anti-fraud resources:
