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:
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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 dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "david akunna" <akunnads1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: davidakunna@yahoo.com.sg
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:09:13 -0700
Subject: Attention:: Sir\Madam


Attention:: Sir\Madam
From: David Akunna.


TRANSFER OF $24,500,000.00 {Twenty-four million five Hundred thousand United
State Dollars}

I sincerely ask for forgiveness for I know this may seem like a complete
intrusion to your privacy but Right about now this is my option of
communication. This mail might come to you as a surprise and the Temptation
to ignore it as unserious could come into your mind; but please consider it
a divine wish and Accept it with a deep sense of humility.

I have a Business Proposal of Twenty-four million, five hundred thousand US
dollars for you to handle with me from my bank I work with. I want to ask
you to kindly look for a reliable and honest person who will be capable and
fit to provide either an existing bank account or to set up a new bank
account immediately to receive this money, though an empty bank account
could serve this purpose as long as you will remain honest to me till the
end of this important business trusting in you and believing in God that
you will never let me down either now or in time to come.

However, if you are interested in this business we will start the first
money transfer with four million, five hundred thousand US dollars (U.S.
$4,500,000.00) upon successful transaction without any disappointment from
you. We shall also re-apply for the payment of the remaining amount to your
account.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money can not be
approved to a local account, without valid international foreign
"Agreement", but could only be approved to any foreigner with valid
international credentials: passport or drivers license and foreign account
because this sum is in U.S. dollars and the former owner of the account Mr.
Eshed .B. Willey is a foreigner too, thus the money could only be approved
into a foreign account.

As a matter of urgency, I will inform you the next step to take, while you
Send your private telephone and fax number including the full details of the
account to be used for the deposit.

At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 35% of the total
amount, 60% will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties might
have
incurred during this process.

Regards,

David Akunna.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam