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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:
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- 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 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.
- bnmoneygramoffice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. KEVIN ANTHONY" <s.mitidieri@alice.it>
Reply-To: bnmoneygramoffice@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2018 16:58:10 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary
Attention:
Be inform that We have been authorized by the United Nations Debt
Reconciliation Unit to release your compensation payment of US$2.5Million
through Money Gram transfer.You will be receiving US$5000 daily until the
total
sum of US$2.5Million is completely transferred to you.
Besides,we have already sent your first payment of US$5000 today,therefore,you
are advice to contact (MR. KEVIN ANTHONY) and request him to give you the
payment details such as Money Gram reference# and senders name to enable you
pick up your first payment of US$5000 at any Money Gram office around you.
Contact him with the information below.
Contact Person: MR. KEVIN ANTHONY
Phone Number: +229-60-93 -57-22
E-mail: (bnmoneygramoffice@gmail.com)
REMEMBER TO FORWARD HIM YOUR FULL INFORMATION AS REQUIRED BELOW TO ENABLE HIM
LOCATE YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND ATTEND TO YOU IMMEDIATELY.
FILL UP THE BELOW FORM
1. Your Full Names::-----------
2. Your Country::----------
3. Telephone Number::-----
4. Occupation::
------
5. Age::-------
6. SEX::------
NOTE: that the amount to be paid to you is (US$2.5Million ) we expect your
urgent response to this email to enable us monitor the payment effectively.
Best Regards
Mr. Patrick Boomma
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Anti-fraud resources:
