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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "certificate 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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Lambert Wilson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitedbankforafrica2104@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 00:28:54 -0800
Subject: Very Important Message Reply
Attn:beneficiary
$10.700.000.00 USD which was deposited to our bank by the IMF Managing Director to be delivered to you which he said to be your Overdue Inheritance/Contract fund’s I want you to know that the delivery will be carried out once these bellow mentioned certificate is being obtained from the office of the Attorney General of Federal High Court Nigeria because without the certificate the diplomatic agent won't be granted safe passage by the customs agent at the airport and those certificate are needed to be acquired for clarification and vindication of your fund that you are the
beneficiary and that it is legally own by you.
Below are the Certificates that need to be obtaining from the office of the Attorney General of Federal High Court of Nigeria:
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY PERMITS CERTIFICATE FEE: $50
IMF CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FEE: $35
NOTE: THE REASON WHY YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND THE NEEDED FEE FOR THE OBTAINING OF THE CERTIFICATES IS THAT WE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE NEEDED FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF NIGERIA TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS ACCESS OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOU TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, CRIMINAL ACT AND FOR SECURITY REASONS.
You are hereby to be notified that the delivery fee and other formalities and necessary arrangement has been taken care of but you are only required to make the payment of the fee of the above mentioned certificates so that once it is obtained and signed by the Attorney General of Federal High Court Nigeria then your diplomatic agent will be granted safe passage in any airport which he entered with those certificates and also to avoid you being suspicious of indulging in illegal act or drug dealing act and you should know that your Atm Card will be delivered to you by our courier partners(DHL).
Here is the information you are to use to make the payment through WESTERN UNION or MONEY GRAM OFFICE only.
RECEIVER NAME:OSCAR NWAOLISA
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
CITY: LAGOS
TEXT QUESTION: GOD
TEXT ANSWER: FIRST
AMOUNT: $85 USD
REF/MTCN_______
SENDER NAME_____
Immediately you make this payment and the needed certificate is been obtained and signed by the Attorney General of Federal High Court Nigeria then you will be contacted by our courier partners (DHL) regarding the moving of the diplomatic agent with your Atm Card and I will also send you the copy of the obtained certificates and where it is signed by the Attorney General of Federal High Court of Nigeria once it is been obtained. Once you make the payment get back to me with the payment details immediately.
Waiting for your urgent reply immediately.
SINCERELY;
Mr. Lambert Wilson
FOREIGN PAYMENT MANAGER
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA (UBA)
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