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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:
- "required 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. )
- "service 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. )
- "million 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)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- edwardsellis718@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Edwards Ellis" <emefielegodwin166@gmail.com>
Reply-To: edwardsellis718@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2021 01:00:12 -0800
Subject: ATTENTION BENEFICIARY
This is Mr. Edwards Ellis the Former United States Ambassador to the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, I came down here in Abuja-Nigeria for an
ECO WAS meeting and I was searching for some files that I left in this
office before I left and found out that you have not received your
fund, and I asked the present ambassador Mary Beth Leonard what
happened that you have not receive your fund and she said that you
refused to pay the required fee for the delivery of your ATM CARD.
I'm contacting you this morning because the director of the ATM CARD
center here in Nigeria said that they will deliver your ATM CARD to the
Government Treasury just because you cannot pay for the service fee of
your ATM CARD which is $200 only according to them.But I told them to
wait until I hear from you today so that I will know the reason why
you rejected such amount of money $10.5M which will change your life
just because of $200 .which will cover up every expenses and ease the
fast delivery of your consignment.
I want your urgent response as soon as you receive this email and
explain to me the reason why you have abandon your ATM CARD because of
$200 which will cover up every expenses and ease the fast delivery
of your consignment. But if you don't need it then I can change your
name to another person so that this Government will not claim this
money but I know that you will love to have it.
therefore i had acquire all the legal documents from a very high
respected authority (Federal Ministry of Finance) and they had granted
me a fund release order and ownership certificate of the fund in your
favor. Mr. Edwards Ellis Former United States Ambassador is writing to
bring to your Notice that today the Ministry of Finance has approved
your ATM CARD.the $200 only which will cover up every expenses and
ease the fast delivery of your consignment.and you have to send the
$200 today by World Remit and that is only money you have to send for
you to receive your ATM CARD.that contain the sum of $10.5 million
dollars in next 4 days the $200 which will cover up every expenses you
need to do and ease the fast delivery of your consignment.
Please my dear I want to help you to receive this fund because it was
a big shock to me that you have not receive your ATM CARD and withdraw
your money for years now and I'm very sorry for that and you will
receive your fund before the end of this meeting which will take us 4
days and I will be here to monitor it until you receive your fund. Mr.
Edwards Ellis the Former United States Ambassador to the United the
director of the ATM CARD center here in Nigeria
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your full details.
1) FULL NAMES: .........................
2) DELIVERY ADDRESS:..............
3) PHONE NUMBER....................
4) COUNTRY:................................
Best Regards,
Mr. Edwards Ellis
From United States Former Ambassador to the Republic of Nigeria
Direct line: +1 409 344 5863
PHONE: +234-8086174702
Email: edwardsellis718@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
