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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. )
- "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. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- 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 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.
- 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.
- plcbank.smark@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Marie Ann Licoju" <licojum@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: plcbank.smark@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2018 06:01:25 -0200 (EET)
Subject: Transfer fund
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Attention Dear Beneficiary,
Welcome to Western Union EcoBank Head Office and This is to inform you
that International Monetary Fund IMF is compensating with sum of
$2.800.000.00 USD here in Benin Republic (Two Million Eight Hundred
Thousand Dollar) This Western Union head office has been mandated by the
International Monetary Fund IMF Director to transfer your compensation
fund to you via Western Union Transfer Daily. We the western union office
here stated that you will be receiving your fund $2.800.000.00 at the
maximum of $6,000.00 daily is the whole fund $2.800.000.00 is completely
transfer to you. Already We have sent out your first payment $6,000 MTCN #
8860-3341-09#
BELOW IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT $6,000.00 USD
MTCN#_______8860-3341-09
Sender’s First Name:-------Jaso
Sender’s Last Name:------Calaha
Sender’s Location:------- Benin Republic
Amount sent:------- $6000.00
Remember we need your full information as where we will be sending the
second payments $6000 to avoid wrong transfer such as,
Your Full Name:............................
Your Home Address:......................
Your Country/ City: .............................
Your Direct Phone Number:..........................
Your ID copy:............................
Urgent go and pick up your first payment $6000 now and get back to us for
your second payment.
Call Western Union Ecobank Director Rev.John Mark below: +229 94 85 67 09
Dr.Rev.John Mark
Tel +229 94 85 67 09
Email: plcbank.smark@gmail.com
Thanks,
Mrs.Marie ann. Licoju
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Anti-fraud resources:
