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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:
- "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. )
- "moneygram" (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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- moneygram.department@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: MR PETER ONYI <qqty6xg9k@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygram.department@aol.com
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2021 02:44:50 -0800
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary.
--
ATTENTION,
WE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL IN THIS Ria transfer
OFFICE AND THE CONTENT WAS WELL NOTED. WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR
FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR CITY Ria transfer OFFICE FROM HERE IN
BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE OF Ria transfer DEPARTMENT AND YOU WILL BE
RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $3,500.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE ALL
YOUR TOTAL PAYMENT WHICH IS THE SUM OF $8.5MILLION AS SCHEDULED IN OUR
OFFICE HERE.
THEREFORE, BE INFORMED THAT THROUGH THIS OUR MEDIUM OF Ria transfer
PAYMENT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO BE RECEIVING US$3,500.00 EVERY DAY UNTIL
YOUR TOTAL FUND WHICH IS $$8.5MILLION USD IS COMPLETELY PAID TO YOU,
BUT BEFORE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO SEND THE REQUIRED FEE OF $50 U.S.D
WHICH WILL BE USED FOR THE RENEWING AND RECONFIRMATION OF YOUR PAYMENT
FILE TO ENABLE US START RELEASING YOUR PAYMENT AS SCHEDULED.
SECONDLY WE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE THE FIRST
PAYMENT BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK THE PAYMENT WHICH WE MADE ON YOUR NAME
BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND HAVE NOT ACTIVATE THE PAYMENT DUE
TO THE REQUIRED CHARGES WHICH IS AMOUNT OF $50 U.S.D FOR THE RE-MEWING
ACTIVATION AND RECONFIRMATION FEE OF THE TOTAL PAYMENT AS NOT YET BEEN
PAID THEREFORE YOU WERE ADVICE TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THE REQUIRED FEE
AMOUNT OF $50 U.S.D TO ENABLE THEM ACTIVATE THE PAYMENT SO THAT YOU
WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT
IMMEDIATELY.
HERE IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT US$3,500.00 U.S.D THAT WE HAVE BEEN ISSUED
OUT FOR YOU BUT IT HAS NOT ACTIVATED UNTIL YOU SETTLED THE REQUIRED
FEE $50 U.S.D FOR US TO RE-MEWING ACTIVATION AND RE-CONFIRMATION OF
YOUR PAYMENT FILE AS WELL BEFORE YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP OVER
THERE YOUR CITY LOCATION RIA MONEY OFFICE.
MR PETER ONYI
EMAIL: moneygram.department@aol.com
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
Ria transfer INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT OFFICE Nigeria
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Anti-fraud resources:
