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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22993044017 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • dr.jim_ben1@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: ahmedwilliams101@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:14:28 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=20N=2EB=3AReply=20to=20him=20via=3A=20=28dr=2Ejim=5Fben1=40yahoo=2Efr=20=29?=


My Dear Friend,

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting that payment
transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from
paraguay.Presently
I'm in Paraguaybut by next week I will be in china for investment
projects
with my own share of the total sum.
Meanwhile,I don't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in
transferring the payment despite the fact that it failed us some how in
the past. Now contact my confidential-secretary,by name,DR.JIM BEN
through
his e-mail addresss:(dr.jim_ben1@yahoo.fr1 )
and for immediate payment call him on +22993044017
or 0022993571128 and ask him to release to you the total sum of
$1.200,000.00 usd(One Million Two Hundred Thousant United State of
America
Dollars Only)
which I kept for you as your compensation for all the past efforts and
attempts
to assist me in this matter.
I appreciate your efforts at that time very much and I feel that there
is
no better time to show my appreciation to you than this yuletide season
of year.So feel free and get in touch with my secretary and ask him to
immediately
release the amount to you.For you urgent payment call him immediately.
Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share
the
joy together after all the sufferings at that time. At the moment,I am
very
busy here because of the investment rojects which I and the new partner
are having at hand .
Finally, be informed that I had forwarded an instruction to the
secretary to release the money ($1.200,000.00m usd) to you as soon as
you
contact him and request for it. Therefore, feel free to get in touch
with
him.
He will release the amount to you without any delay and please,be
informed
that the $1.200,000.00m usd is in an International Certified Bank
Cheque
(Draft.) I shall for ever remain gratefull to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Barrister mr AHMED WILLIAMS
N.B:Reply to him via: (dr.jim_ben1@yahoo.fr )

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam