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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:
- "storage 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. )
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic non inspection" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- ibuudo132@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Diplomat Albert Pedro <cocac6628@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ibuudo132@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2021 01:17:58 +0100
Subject: You can call or text me directly on my telephone number bellow +1
(234) 253-4158
--
Dear Sir,
I am Diplomat Albert Pedro, The attachment is a copy of my personal ID
for identification. I am in receipt of your mail and proceeded this
morning to the United Nations Regional Head office in Houston - Texas
to commence action on the process that will lead to our getting the
Diplomatic Non Inspection sticker that will be necessary for the
immediate admittance of the consignment into the United States of
America and the delivery of same to you.
Anyway, i have been able to make preliminary inquiries into what it
will take to secure the Diplomatic Non Inspection sticker aside the
official requirement of requesting the details about the consignment,
requesting for my details as well and having my finger-print and
photograph taken.
This is in terms of the official charges that is been levied on
consignment under the category of ours. In view of the above, we will
be required to pay Fifty Five United State Dollars only (US$55.00 USD
). The reason why we have to pay is because of the fact of what I
highlighted above and because of the fact that neither you nor the
shipper are Diplomats.
There is nothing I can do on my part because I never anticipated that
I would be staying this long in the United States; which has forced me
to spend so much on hotels and other unexpected expenses. I would like
for the arrangement to be made towards sending the above sum
immediately through view iTunes Cards or Steam by attaching the copy
and forward back to me intermediately to enable me to start proceeding
to your home.
The reasons being that any further delay will start raising suspicions
as to why the consignment has not been cleared since i came in and
would start accumulating demur-rage and storage fee since it has been
taken to the US customs bonded warehouse.
I will be looking forward to hearing from you soonest.
Regards,
Diplomat Albert Pedro
Call me here +1 (234) 253-4158
Email: ibuudo132@gmail.com
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