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.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • +27737082332 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • greg_themba101@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "greg themba" <greg_themba417@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:36:10 +0200
Subject: Family seeking for urgent assistance.

FROM: MR. GREG THEMBA.
20 BOTHA CRESCENT,
RIVONIA, JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
+27 737 082 332.
EMAIL: greg_themba101@yahoo.com

 

Attn: Owner / Ceo  

This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact address. I got your address from the internet.
 
 My name is Mr. Greg Themba,the elder son of late Mr. James Themba, of Masingo Province of Zimbabwe. During the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the supports of our President Robert Mugabe, to claim all the white-owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all white farmers to surrender all their farms and Lands to his party members and his followers.
  My father is one of the richest farmers in our country and because he did not support President Mugabe's ideas. President Mugabe's, supporters invaded my father's farms and lands and burnt everything in the farms, killing my father and made away with a lot of items in my father's farm. For more details visit www.rte.ie/news/2000/0418/zimbabwe.html.
  
  Before my father,s death he made it known to me that he deposited with one of the Security Company in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$30.5 Million (Thirty Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with the Security and Finance Company here in South Africa. Then after the death of my father, we decided to move to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the Security Company as valuables items.
  
  After reading about you on the internet I believe that some body like you will be capable of handling this kind of transaction so I decided to contact you to assist me to transfer this fund out of South Africa because as I and my families were (Refugee) Asylum seekers we are not allowed to operate any bank transaction within South Africa. 
We have agreed to offer you 20% of the total sum after a successful transfer of the fund to your bank account in your country for your assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that we may incurred in the course of this transaction and 75% will be for me and my family investment in your country.
All I want you to do is to furnish me with your personal phone and fax numbers for easy communication.
You can contact me on the above telephone number or through email.
I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential.
  
Thanks and God bless.
  
Best Regards.
  
Mr. Greg Themba.
{for the family}

---

Want to see who's on the other side? Chat via video on Windows Live Messenger!

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam