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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:
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "diplomatmarkwilfred33@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "diplomatmarkwilfred33@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: "MARK WILFRED" <info@lee.org>
Reply-To: diplomatmarkwilfred33@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:47:46 -0700
Subject: CALL OR TEXT ME URGENT (505) 871-1971
Attn: TO You,
NOTE: If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, it is
because of the restrictions imposed by your Mail/Internet Service
Provider, we urge you to treat it genuinely.
I’m Diplomat Mark Wilfred I have been trying to reach you about an
hour now just to inform you about my successful arrived George Bush
International airport Texas with your two Boxes of Consignment
Box worth $9.5M Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars which I
have been instructed by ECOWAS to be delivered to you. The Airport
authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them
that the fund is no way related with drug money, I have presented the
papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the
paper's I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here
is the Yellow Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the Airport
Authority has advise that we get the yellow tag so that I can exit the
airport immediately and make my delivery successful. I try to reason
with them and they stated the yellow tag will cost us just $170
Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag will
enable deliver today
Please try and reach me with my number (505) 871-1971 TEXT OR CALL as
I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have
to take care of. Here are the papers backing the funds together with
my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit
the fund successfully with these papers. I have all vital paper with
me but I can only present you the hard copy when I reach your house as
that it's the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to deliver.
Re-confirm to me your information urgent
Full Name...............
Correct phone number ...........
Delivery Address ..............
Your Nearest International Airport.............
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get the
Yellow Tag here for you authority. reply on my E-mail
(diplomatmarkwilfred33@outlook.com) GET BACK TO ME WITH PAYMENT INFORMATION
USE WESTERN UNION OFFICE OR MONEY GRAM OFFICE SEND THE $170 NOW OR BUY
$170 ITUNES CARD SEND ME NOW TO MAKE THIS DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE
FUND OF $9.5M USD TO YOUR DOORSTEP FASTER
Receiver PAUL KOTA.
Country Benin Republic.
City Cotonou
Country Code 00229
Amount $170 US Dollars
Text Question. when
Answer .today.
SENDER NAME
I AM WAITING FOR THE PICTURES OF THE $170 ITUNES CARD ONCE YOU BUY IT
NOW AND COMPLETE RECEIVE AND ENJOY YOUR PACKAGE FUND OF $9.5M USD
TODAY
Regard
DIPLOMAT MARK WILFRED
E-mail (diplomatmarkwilfred33@outlook.com)
CALL OR TEXT ME URGENT (505) 871-1971
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