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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.DOUGLAS POLLOCK" <patrickmusa801@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dr.douglas_2023@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2023 06:14:36 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER FOR THE DELIVERING THIS IS YOUR
SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS.
Dear Beneficiary,
Compliment of the day to you and your families have been waiting for
you since to come down here and pick your compensation Check which my
boss left with me on his departure to Paraguay but I did not hear from
you since that time till today.I went to the bank to confirm whether
the Check is getting close to expire as it has been long time my boss
issued the Check.The director of the bank Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director
of Financial Trust Bank Limited told me that before the draft will get
to you that it will expire.Then I told him to help me and cash the
Check worth of $5.800.000.00 to cash payment.
However,I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged it in two
trunk boxes and have registered it in the FedEx Courier Company here
in Benin Republic because I will travel to see my boss in Paraguay and
will not come back till End of this 2023.You have to contact the FedEx
Diplomatic Courier Company to know when they will deliver the two of
your consignment boxes to your address.I have paid for the delivering
charges and insurance fees.The only money you have to send to them is
their official security keeping fees which is USD$98 USD to receive
your boxes.Don’t be deceived by anybody.
I should have paid the keeping fee but I do not know how long it will
take before you contact them and the keeping fee increases weekly.
This is their E-mail Contact Address:
Director Name: MR.WILLIAM D.PAULA
(Director FedEx Diplomatic Courier Company)
Telephone:+229-59039454
Fax: 030-56799 2782
Their E-mail Contact :( fedex_expresscourierdeliveri@zohomail.com )
Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your package.
This is the information they needed from you..
1) Your Full Name ===============
2) Your Home Address=============
3) Your Fax==========
4) Your Cell Numbers==============
5) You personal identification===
6) Your Occupation=====
Below is your shipping code of the two of your consignment boxes so
Contact them with the below code.
YOUR SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01
Deposit Certificate N0: 405576
Consignment Description: 2 METAL Boxes Sensitive Church Ministerial Materials
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid the weekly increasing
of the security keeping fee.Note.I didn't tell the FedEx Diplomatic
Courier Company that it's money inside the two trunk boxes,I
registered it as a boxes of a Church Minister Materials.This is to
avoid delay or any upfront problem during the delivery.So,do not let
them know that the two trunk boxes contains money.
Do let me know as soon as you received your boxes.You will contact me
only through e-mail as my phone is no longer available now that I am
out from our country.I may not be able to respond to you urgent but I
will get back to you whenever I checked my email.
I am waiting for your urgent response.
Yours Faithfully,
DR.DOUGLAS POLLOCK
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