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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the 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.
- donaldmcgrath843@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Janet L. Yellen" <"www."@watch.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Donald McGrath <donaldmcgrath843@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2017 23:02:33 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear customer.
Dear customer.
This is to notify you that your Recompense fund as approved by the Federal Reserve Bank have been transformed into an atm card and mailed already to you. Because we did not receive a confirmation of your mailing address before the dispatch took place, it was mailed to a counterpart here in USA whom voluntarily agreed to receive it on your behalf through DHL after paying your mailing fee. Below are the tracking details:
DHL Website: www. dhl.com
Tracking number: 6823380549
Note that the delivery had been on transit but only arrived a while ago. You're to contact him and let him have your mailing address where he shall mail the card to. Kindly note that you're to refund him the $200 which he paid on your behalf before the mailing took place for him to mail the card to you. Send the fee of $200 to them via this below information. You are to use below information to send the required $200 through western union or money gram or Walmart to Walmart transfer to proceed the transfer process immediately.
Receiver, Donald McGrath.
Country, United state of America.
City, Lowell Massachusetts.
Amount, $200 only.
mtcn from sender........
You can call us or text SMS this number +1(817) 918-7305
Contact him through the e-mail: (donaldmcgrath843@gmail.com ) and call them this phone number +1(817) 918-7305. His name is Mr. Donald Mcgrath and his wife is Barbara Mcgrath. You must thank them very much since they saved you from loosing this recompense ATM card worth $4.7million united state dollars which was almost canceled as a result of your negligence.
Let them tell you how to send them back their refund of $200 and make sure you send it to them so that they will mail your card to you.
Confirm receipt of this e-mail.
Regards,
Mrs.Janet L. Yellen
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Anti-fraud resources:
