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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:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- francishayes109@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: BMW Automobile Company <info@bmwgroup.com>
Reply-To: francishayes109@yahoo.com
Date: 25 Jun 2023 14:00:05 -0700
Subject: Dear Esteemed Winner,
Reference Number BMW: 6743222009/13
BMW Automobile Company
Hours Of Services: Mondays - Friday hours 8:00 am–5:00 pm
Dear Esteemed Winner,
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your email to this office
and I must say that you should count yourself extremely lucky to
have emerged as one of our winners in the 1st section of the
2021, BMW LOTTERY PROMO.
As you already know your email address was randomly selected
along with others from a database of over 250,000 email addresses
drawn from all the continents of the world. Each email address
was attached to a ticket number.
Your email address with Reference Number BMW: 6743222009/13. was
selected along with others as winners of a prize of a brand new
BMW 5 Series Car and a Certified Check of US$500,000.00. A
certificate of prize claims and some vital documents will be sent
along side your winnings.
DIAMOND EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY has been contracted as your
shiping agency to send your winnings safely to you as the
rightful beneficiary. Contact their delivery Agent with the
contact information below for further instructions on how to have
your winning safely delivered to you at your home address.
Delivery Officer: FRANCIS HAYES
Contact E-mail: francishayes109@yahoo.com
Contact him by providing him with your secret Reference Number
BMW: 6743222009/13. also advised to provide him with the under
listed information as soon as possible:
A. Name In Full :
B. Residential Address :
C. Direct Phone :
D. Nearest Airport :
E. pin code Number BMW:6743222009/13
F. Email address :
It is imperative that you add your Reference Number BMW:
6743222009/13. as the subject of any correspondence with the
Shipping company to ensure they respond in a timely manner. I
will require a concise update on the proceedings with the firm as
soon as you are in contact with them.
Regards,
FRANCIS HAYES
Fiduciary Agent
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Anti-fraud resources:
