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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:
- "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. )
- "transfer cost" (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. )
- "western union" (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. )
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the 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.
- unitednationspaymentoffice329@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev Dr Johnson Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitednationspaymentoffice329@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:46:19 +0300
Subject: SCAM VICTIMS' COMPENSATION PAYMENT.
UNITED NATIONS PAYMENT OFFICE
OFFICIAL PAYMENT UNIT.
Our Ref: UNO /UN/CTB
RELEASE CODE No: 0
Email: unitednationspaymentoffice329@gmail.com
(Attention Beneficiary)
SCAM VICTIMS' COMPENSATION PAYMENT.
Please be informed that your long-awaited compensation funds payment in the tune of $3.5M has finally been approved but it has also been brought to our notice that a gentleman by the name Michael Latin has just forwarded new banking details claiming he is your next of kin and you are dead so here comes the big question:
Did you authorize the above-mentioned name to claim your funds And Pay The Required Fee requested for the processing of your fund's wire Transfer?
Are you truly dead or alive? Is Michael Latin your next of kin? If no kindly reconfirm this information and get back to us with the below information for verification and the cost of wire transfer charges of $525 USD ONLY To Enable Your Funds Transfer within 48 hours from this notice in US BANK CAPITAL ONE BANK PLC.
Your name:
Current home address:
Country:
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
Age:
Gender:
We await your urgent response so that we can proceed with your $ 3.5M payment Immediately you confirm the wire Transfer cost VIA WESTERN UNION TO THIS INFORMATION BELOW.
RECEIVER'S NAME: Hong Hao Vo,
Address: Fountain Valley CA 92708 USA
The Amount: $525
The Senders Name:
Reference Number:
Respond back with Details Together with your Full Information To Process your funds without further delay for you to start Having Access to your Funds within 48 Hours.
Yours faithfully,
Rev Dr Johnson Williams
UN COMPENSATION PAYMENT(URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED)
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