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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "mrbensonmilton011@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- +447045710774 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- mrbensonmilton011@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Shell Promotion Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrbensonmilton011@live.com>
Date: Mon, 22 May 2017 15:42:31 -0700
Subject: Re: Shell Promotion Department
Dear Sir
FYI..........
Final Award Notification!!!
This is to inform you that your Email Address have emerged among the winner of the Shell Lottery Award Program this end of the year Promo sponsored by the Shell International Oil and Gas United Kingdom. You have been approved to claim the total sum of GBP 980,000.00 ( NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS STERLING) from our claims agent Mr Benson Milton. Your email address was obtained from an electronic selection of all Engineering Company Emails round the globe and was attached to a lucky ticket which has made you the winner of the 2014/2015 Shell Lottery Draw. Therefore to receive your Payment amount, you are required to send the following through e-mail to Mr Benson Milton your claims with the details stated below:
Contact Agent Name: Mr. Benson Milton
Email Address: mrbensonmilton011@live.com
mrbensonmilton011@gmail.com
Phone Number: +447045710774
Full Names:
Address:
Contact Number
Sex
Occupation
Date Of Birth and Winning numbers (1 6 9 90 21 33 7)
He shall direct you on how to receive your prize. You are therefore advised to contact him as soon as you receive this notification to avoid delay as you are the only winner left to claim the fund.
Best Wishes,
Mrs. Karen Richardson
(Publicity Announcing Officer)
Shell Promotion Department
Dispatch Center.49 Brussel Grove.
London NWI6DS United Kingdom.
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Anti-fraud resources:
