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:
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • +2348036801304 (Nigeria, 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.
  • fedexagent_mosesblunt@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: <fedexagent_mosesblunt@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:43:27 +0000
Subject: Contact Fedex For Your Bank Dreft


Greetings


This is to inform you that you have been selected for a
Bank Draft of $1,400.000.00 United States Dollars
From Mrs Anna benz, International online programs held on the
10th of june 2008 in West Africa.
The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized Email selection system (ESS) from a database of over
250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world The
Cash Promotional programs is approved by the West Africa Gaming Board
and Also Licensed by the International Association of Gaming Regulators

(IAGR). This programe is the 2nd of its kind and we intend to sensitize

the public with more of this.

Since i waited so long for you to contact me for your
Confirm able Bank Draft of $1,400.000.00 United States Dollars, but I
did not get any reply from you
the Bank Draft has been deposited with with FEDEX COURIER SERVICE,
West Africa, I have travelled out of the country for a 3 Months Course
and
I will not come back till end of August. What you have to do now is to
contact the
FEDEX COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when they will
deliver
your Bank Draft to you because of the expiring date. For your
information,
I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium
and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is
not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.

The only money you will send to the FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE to deliver your Draft direct to your postal
Address in your country is ($225.00) US Dollars only being Security
Keeping fee of the Courier Company so far.
Again, I would have paid that but they said no because
they don't know when you will contact them and in case of
demurrage.You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE now for the
delivery of your Draft with this information below:

Contact Person: Mr.moses Blunt
Email Address: fedexagent_mosesblunt@yahoo.com.hk
Telephone: +234 8036801304
+234 8025276968

Finally, send them your contact information to enable them
reverify your postal address before delivery your parcel.


Claims Requirements:
1. Name in full-----------------------
2. Address----------------------------
3. Sex--------------------------------
4. Nationality/Religion---------------
5. Marital Status--------------------
6. Age--------------------------------
7. Next Of Kin------------------------
8. Occupation-------------------------
9. Phone/Fax--------------------------
10. Present Country-------------------

If you are Are ready to make payment as you are told, You should also
let me know through email as soon as you
receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,

Dr. Anna Benz

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam