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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:
- "clearance 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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Bernard Jones" <goddyedochie@gmail.com>
Reply-To: 0023323@naver.com
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2021 15:31:32 +0100
Subject: Hello my dear, merry Christmas & happy new year.
I write to let you know about our success in pulling out the Ten
Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$10.5Million)
from the escrow account and hiding it in a security proof box as a
gift item and I sent it to your receiving favour to your country,
through a diplomatic means.
The diplomat will arrive in your country with the package any time
from tomorrow or next, bear in mind that every necessary expense as
regards to the arrangement here has been paid.
You will pay only a non-inspection / clearance fee of the package to
the diplomat on arrival over there.
Kindly reconfirm as below noted to enable him to deliver the
consignment box to your doorstep as soon as he arrives in your
country.
1. Full Names :...
2. Residential Address :...
3. Mobile Number:
4. Nationality :...
5. Country :...
6. Your ID for Identification purposes
Be informed that the diplomat does not know the true content of the
package, do not disclose the contents of the package to him to avoid
diverting it to another place.
Remain blessed as I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Mr. Bernard Jones
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