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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:
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- ccourier25@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Smith Good <ceciliaogechi0@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ccourier25@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:05:49 -0700
Subject: U.S EMBASSY/MINISTER OF FINANCE.
--
Attention
I received your e-mail and the Embassy appreciates your prompt
response in view of the e-mail sent to you earlier. I understand that
you want your funds total $6.5M sent through ATM CARD to your address.
I have carefully noted down the residential information and I have
made a copy of it and sent it to the Bank. I just spoke with the Bank
where your ATM CARD is deposited to update them with the status and
inform them to be ready for shipment.
As soon as we mail your ATM CARD, I shall provide you with the First
Fly Delivery Services shipping tracking number that will enable you to
monitor the shipment till it gets to your house.
In view of this, you are instructed to contact the courier company
that is in charge of the delivery immediately and re-confirm your
residential address and your current phone number to them to avoid
wrong delivery of the ATM CARD.
Here is the Courier Company Contact information.
First Fly Delivery Services.
Contact person:Mr Smith Good.
Email: ccourier25@gmail.com
whatsapp:+1-708-586-7109.
Kindly use the reference code BXTUSWilly6.5BC2021 and E-mail or call
the delivery company as soon as possible and demand for the delivery
of your ATM CARD deposited by the United state Embassy Benin to their
custody.
Please update me on every development throughout your correspondence
with the courier company to enable us stay on the same page while I
reinforce or push the company to accomplish the delivery as soon as
possible.
This is almost the final aspect of this project. Therefore we must
communicate to each other frequently via email to ensure that we
achieve the desired result.
I will be looking forward to receiving an update from you soon.
Yours in Service
Amb JANET YALLEN.
U.S Ambassador/Minister of Finance.
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