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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand 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 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 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.
- westernunionoffice510@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.JOHN EDWARD" <WWW..@hyper.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Dr.JOHN EDWARD" <westernunionoffice510@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2018 11:16:19 +0900 (JST)
Subject: GOOD DAY
GOOD DAY
Hello my dear, how are you doing today i hope you are fine? I write to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00.
United State Dollars through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your full compensation
payment total sum of $4.800.000.00 (four Million eight Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) via western union by
our Government, I was trying to send you an E-mail since yesterday with the Western Union payment Details but the
message keep returning back I don't really know why, therefore I try to re-send the e-mail to you again today with
all the Western Union payment information for you to pick up the money from any location Western Union around you.
Note well: that the money was on hold until you pay for the reactivation fee of your account which will cost you
only $99.00
Snders Name Uba johnson
MTCN 765 296 4033
Question: Best Color
Answer: Yellow
Amount: $5.000
Please copy all this information and track it by yourself and confirmed that the money is available for pick up by
the receiver, but you will pay for the reactivation of your account before the money will be release to you.And
call+2348011572735 or email me {westernunionoffice510@gmail.com} once you picked up this $5000.00. United State Dollars to enable me send
you another information to you today, I am waiting for your call once you pick up this $5000.00. Please E-mail me
your direct telephone number because I need to be calling you once we send any payment for the information. Note we
really need your current direct phone so that once we make any payment we shall call you for the MTCN. Yours in
Service Dr.JOHN EDWARD Western Union Department NIGERIA. YOUR FUND HAS BEEN SENT TODAY MTCN:#765 296 4033
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Anti-fraud resources:
