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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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- williammrjohnson831@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev.john Anthony" <"wwww."@ace.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Rev.john Anthony" <moneyg237@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2017 02:55:31 +0900 (JST)
Subject: FIRST PAYMENT TRANSFER OF YOUR ($7,000.00)
REPUBLIC OF BENIN HEAD OFFICE COTONOU.
PHONE/FAX: (+229) 99566136 EMAIL: williammrjohnson831@gmail.com
DEAR: CLIENT,
INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATING THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO SEND PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR PAYMENT MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $7000.00USD FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO PAY THE AMOUNT REQUESTED EARLIER.
NOW WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE AT HAND FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM AND THERE IS NO TIME LEFT.
CONTACT US WITH THIS EMAIL (williammrjohnson831@gmail.com) YOU ARE TO PAY ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE AT HAND FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE NOW. WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN ONCE WE RECEIVE THIS PAYMENT.
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION ONCE YOU CASH YOUR FIRST $7000.00 USD. ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION THAN TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN AND YOU WILL NEVER CASH UP THE REMAINING PAYMENT BALANCE.
NOW SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THIS INFORMATION BELLOW:
1. RECEIVER NAME:......JOSE KACHI EMeKEM
2. CITY:.............. COTONOU
3.COUNTRY:.............. BENIN REPUBLIC.
4. QUESTION:.........HONEST.
5. ANSWER:..........TRUST.
6. AMOUNT ..........SEND ANY AMOUNT AT YOUR HAND NOW.
SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND ONCE WE CONFIRM THE FEE, WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST PAYMENT TRANSFER OF YOUR ($7,000.00) THE SAME DAY AND NOT TOMORROW.
REGARDS, Mr. David willian
OPERATION MANAGER.
MONEY GRAM PAYMENT DEPT.
PHONE/FAX: (+229) 99566136
EMAIL: williammrjohnson831@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
