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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "security company in holland" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million us 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)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Vinceny Mc-Roy" <barrvincentmcroy@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mcroyvincent2050@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 23:30:44 -0800
Subject: COME TO MY AID SIR FROM MC-ROY


DEAR SIR/MADAM

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST
CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY
DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL
CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER
BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF TO YOU.

I AM MR.VINCENT MC-ROY . FROM SUDAN , AFRICA . I WRITES TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO INVEST,AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE FIRST DEUGHTER OF MR. BABA MC-ROY ,HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTER'S DUE TO PRESENT CRISIS THAT IS OCCURING IN MY COUNTRY(SUDAN).MY SISTER'S DIED ON

THE SPOT WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY
FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME
AND THE BOXES CONTAINING $20 MILLION US
DOLLARS.(CONSIGNMENT )WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN HOLLAND FOR SAFE KEEPING. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOXES TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUNDS.
PRESENTLY MYSELF HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE CLAIMS,AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.

THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY,BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20%OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.
WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT
AND THE OWNERSHIP WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX
ON REQUEST. NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY
PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS
TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.WHICH I
WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT
TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS
TRANSACTION.
I HAVE TO SEEK REFUGEE HERE IN GHANA SO I NEED YOUR HELP I AM DIEING.

BEST REGARDS,
MR.VINCENT MC-ROY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam