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:
  • "insurance fee " (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "security keeping fee" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "consignment " (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 company" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +22996222356 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: robert mark <robertmark2212@msn.com>
Reply-To: <upsbenin55@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 20:02:06 +0000
Subject: CONTACT U.P.S COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR PACKAGE



Attn; My Dear,

I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your money but I did not heard from you since that time.Then I went and deposited the 1.5M as consignment box to U.P.S COURIER COMPANY in Benin Republic, because I will travel to INDIA to visit my friend and i will not come back till next 4 month ending.

I want You to contact the U.P.S COURIER COMPANY to know when they will deliver your package. I have paid for delivering charges and security keeping fee.note that the only money your pay is $145.00 usd for insurance fee so feel free to contact them and be bold eneugh to ask for your package.

CONTACT PERSON;DR SAM WILLIAMS. MANAGER U.P.S COURIER COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC. Telephnoe.. +229-96222356 E-mail: (upsbenin55@msn.com ) Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX .

This is what they need from you. 1.YOUR FULL NAME 2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS. 3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER. 4.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE. 5.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE

Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the insurance fee. I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the delivering. Let me know as soon as you receive your package. Thanks and God bless you, Secretary Mr.Robert Mark

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam