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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- payfiles14@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Williams Eric" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <payfiles14@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2018 12:17:45 +0100
Subject: GOOD NEWS REPORT
HELLO MY DEAR
Your ATM Card of $12.5 million USD has been approved and was deposited with DHL delivery company this morning for registration,and we agreed up that the delivery of Your $12.5 Million USD ATM Package will take off tomorrow morning. So contact with your full info where your ATM card will be delivered
(1) Full names:
(2) Mobile Number:
(3) Direct telephone number:
(4) Country of origin:
(5) Your Current delivery address:
(6) Occupation:
(7) City:
(8) occupation:
Urgently get back to us today with your full address where your ATM card will be delivered to because i will not be in the office next week: The amount in your Card is $12.5Million and your Pin code is: (0420)
the security keeping fee of $95 usd will be paid, because they said that they has to be paid their security keeping fee before the package will be released to you as soon as you contact us,
Regards,
Dr. William Erick +2348026291042
From DHL courier delivery company
Email:(payfiles14@yahoo.com)
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Anti-fraud resources: