joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Heritage" <heritage_co@lycos.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 06:57:33 -0800
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

HERITAGE LOTTERY UK INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
REF: CNL/5567890/05
BATCH: 08/0048/Y05

AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, of winners of the HERITAGE LOTTERY UK INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on Thursday 27th January 2005. You are attached to ticket number 09-11-21-39-40-46; with bonus number 35 drew the lucky numbers 923, and consequently won the lottery in the 4th category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of £226,422 in cash credited to file REF NO. CNL/5567890/05. This is from total prize money of £1,584,942 shared among the seven international winners in this category.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn form 25,000 names from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia as part of International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now deposited with the payment board in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your funds ready for collection. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes £1.3billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent on Tel number: +447-040-106-436 Fax 448-701-371-574 or email: heritage_lottery@lycos.co.uk - Attention: Mr. Michael Williams, for due processing and remittance of your prize money. Please send down your full name, address, telephone.Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than the two weeks from the contact of this office. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your message correspondence.Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.Congratulations again from all our staff.

Sincerely,
Charles Anderson
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, CAMELOT UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam