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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. )
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: MR MAXWELL RICHARD <"money.gram."@train.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: MR MAXWELL RICHARD <officeoffice.moneygram@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2017 07:31:23 +0900 (JST)
Subject: YOUR URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED
Welcome to Money Gram Office
Send Money Worldwide
PAYMENT DATE: 11/11/2017
Telephone 1(202) 843-8120
YOUR URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED
This is Mr. Maxwell Richard the money gram director am emailing you to inform You about your fund which is brought today in our office by (IMF) office here in united state through the last discussion held today by the president of Benin republic and is about to transfer to You once we confirm with your Information so that we can give you the senders Detail and Mtcn of your fund at money gram today. Please confirm with current info to avoid wrong transfer and indeed here to serve you well as instructed.Such as
(Receivers name)............
(Country)....................
(Address)...................
(Phone Number)...........
(Your)................
(ID copy).............
(Occupation)............
(Your Email Address)...................
NOTE: That your payment files will be returned to the IMF within 24hours if We did not hear from you because this was the instruction given to us by the IMF office here in USA We will start the transfer as soon as we received your information. You are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message for any reason what so ever because the US FBI is already on trace of The criminals from Africa.Bear it In Mind your total Fund is $1.3million usd which will be transferred to you $5000 daily
Sincerely Regards
MR MAXWELL RICHARD
MONEY GRAM DEPARTMENT
1(202) 843-8120
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Anti-fraud resources:
