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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "lagos" (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.
- 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 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.
- s3344lb@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR THOMAS GREEN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <s3344lb@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2017 20:24:27 -0700
Subject: RE;CONTACT HIM NOW
Dear beneficiary,
We have just gotten this information now , kindly get back to me now as this has been approved to you.
Attention:
Final notification on accrue interest of your outstanding contract / Inheritance Award compensation fund payment amounting US$ 900,840.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand Eight hundred and Forty US Dollars) is approved for payment by Money Gram. Your first daily payment is approved in your favour and has been program for payment, Your first payment can be verify online via tracking website: https://secure.moneygram.com/track
To verify your payment go the website: https://secure.moneygram.com/ track enter the (REFERENCE #: 62662217 Enter Sender's last name. Peter and click tracking and it will show you that your funds is available for your to pick up and the amount $5000.
Your 1st payment sender Information:
Sender's last name: Peter
Reference: 62662217
Question= What Color
Answer= White
Amount Sent: $5000
You are expected to pay beneficiary accreditation/activation fee of $150 to enable start collecting your daily payment and below are the information to send the fee to Dr. L. Enerst Asuzu (s3344lb@gmail.com)
Receiver Name: ONYECHERE MORGAN
Address: 5 BECKY ESTATE LAGOS NIGERIA
Amount == $150usd only
Text question== what for?
Answer == help.
MTCN/ REF.
Notice this payment has be programmed since 12/09/2017 and you have only this month if not collected it will be deleted from the Money Gram System
Regards,
Mr. Thomas Green.
BARCLAYS BANK
Remittance Manager
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Anti-fraud resources:
