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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • fredwatt21@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Fred Watt" <fredwatt03@rya-online.net>
Reply-To: fredwatt22@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:29:34 GMT
Subject: Re: Your Partnership Urgently Needed Soon???


From Mr. Fred Watt.
P O Box 10720
217 Strand
London WC2R 1AP

Dear Friend
Re: My Request.

My heart warm greetings to you. I Have a very important
request that make me to contact you; I am Mr. Fred Watt, I
found Your profile very interesting and decided to reach you
directly to solicit your assistance and Guidelines in making
a business investment and transfer of =a345.5M GBP (Fourty
Five Million Five Hundred thousand British Pounds Sterling
only) into your country within the Next few days. The funds
are legitimate and has all confirmable legal documents to
back this payment in your name legitimately.

I presently work as a Finance Director, and am incharge with
all Offshore Mortgage &amp; Services of our overseas
brokers/investors with Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, London.
But at this moment, I am constrained to issue more details
about this profitable Business investment until I get your
response by mail. Please take out a moment of your very busy
Schedule today to respond back if you are interested; please
send your email response and direct telephone numbers via
email to me through my email ID: fredwatt21@yahoo.co.uk for
an initial confidential communication. so that I will give
you further explanation on source of
funds and details of funds transfer, I wish for utmost
confidentiality in handling this transaction.

Awaiting your kind reply soon.
Best Regards
Mr. Fred Watt.
Finance Director, RBS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam