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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +447045733613 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: info.microsoft2008@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:49:52 GMT
Subject: CALL TO COMFIRM YOUR PRIZE (+448706260184 ) ENTER YOUR PIN (
7012 )




You have won Five Million Pounds Sterling ( =A35=2C000=2C000=2E00 )=2EFr=
om YAHOO =26 MICROSOFT PROMOTION held this October 2008 =2Ecall Customer=
Care ( +448706260184 ) and provide her with your Pin - ( 7012 ) for win=
ning confirmation and authentification=2E NOTE=3A All participants for t=
his online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites for =
microsoft users through computer draw system and extracted from over 10=
0=2C000 unions=2C associations=2C and corporate bodies that are listed o=
nline=2E To begin your claim you are expected to fill and submit your in=
formation to your appointed claim agent immediately via e-mail inter=2Em=
icrosoft=2Eoffice12=40gmail=2Ecom for confirmation=2E to file for your c=
laim please contact the claims department below=2E

1=2EFull name=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
2=2ECountry=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
3=2EContact Address=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
4=2ETelephone Number=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
5=2EOccupation=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
7=2EAge=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
8=2EAnnual Income=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
Mode Of Payment=3B =

A=2EBank Transfer=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
B=2ECourier Services=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E =


Congratulations once more from the entire Management and Staff of Micros=
oft Award Promotion Board to all our lucky winners this year=2E Thank yo=
u for being part of this promotional program=2E

Once again i say congratulations=2E
Warm Regards=2CMr=2ETerry M=2E James
Email=3A inter=2Emicrosoft=2Eoffice12=40gmail=2Ecom
Phone +44 7045733 613
+44 703 5936 060

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam