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.

Fraud email example:

From: "CAPTAIN HASSAN USMAN" <hassan200usman@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hassan200usman@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2005 13:08:55 +0000
Subject: Hello Dear /

DEAR ,

I KNOW THIS LETTER MIGHT COME AS A SURPRISE PLEASE
ACCEPT MY APOLOGY FOR MY FIRST CONTACT WITH YOU, I FEEL
THAT EMAIL CONTACT IS MORE PRIVATE WITH RESPECT TO MY
INTENSION.

I WAS SEARCHING FOR A GOOD RELIABLE PERSON, COURSE OF
MY SEARCHING I GOT YOUR CONTACT, AS A RELIABLE PERSON
TO TRUST, HOWEVER, I AM CAPTAIN HASSAN USMAN, ONE OF THE CHARLES TAYLOR'S MILITARY MAN IN LIBERIA. MR TAYLOR WAS ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, AND SOME OF US HAVE TO LEAVE ALSO FOR OUR OWN LIFE AND SECURITY REASON.

I AM CONFIDING IN YOU HOPING YOU WILL NEVER BETRAY ME
AT LAST, MY MOST CONCERN IS FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE ME AS
YOUR FRIEND WHILE ESTABLISHING A LONG LASTING
RELATIONSHIP.

PRESENTLY, I AM IN DAKAR-SENEGAL,WITH THE SUM OF
EGHTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS (USD$18,000.000.00M)THIS MONEY WAS KEPT UNDER MY CARE, BY THEN WHEN I WAS A COMMANDANT, IN LIBERIAN ARMY. THE MONEY WAS FOR PURCHAING OF THE ARMS FROM URKRAIN TO FIGHT AGAINST THE REBBEL, IS CONDITION OF THINGS MADE ME TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY WITH IT.

THE REASON, OF MY CONTACT TO YOU, IS OF THE NEWS I HEARD FROM BBC AND CNN LAST UPDATED FRIDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2003, IN REGARDS TO MY FORMER BOSS MR. CHARLES TAYLOR THE REPORT HAS IT THAT ANOTHER ALLEGATION IS BEING BROUGHT AGAINST HIM FOR TRYING TO LOOT OUT MORE MONEY FROM LIBERIA, TO HIS BASE IN EXILES IN NIGERIA, A NEIGHBORING WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY, AND WHEN EVER ANY ALLEGATION IS BEING MADE AGAINST HIM, THEN ALL EYES WILL ON US ALSO, THE FORMER LEADERS. THE SAME NEWS APPEARED IN THE BBC NEWS WEBSITE AND YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE NEWS. AT BBC WEBSITE TO CONFIRM MY FEARS AS I NEED TO TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3249161.stm

PLEASE, I WANT TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO YOUR POSITION, TO SECURE IT FOR ME, PENDING WHEN I WILL MEET WITH YOU, AND TO HELP ME GET A GOOD PROFITABLE
BUSINESS "ETC" YOUR ADVICE NEEDED.

NOTE THAT SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THIS MONEY WOULD BE
COMPENSATED TO YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, PLEASE DO NOT
HESITATE TO CONTACT ME, SO THAT I WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO
NEXT.

PLEASE KEEP THIS UTMOST SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIAL AS
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND MY PRESENT CONDITION IN
DAKAR-SENEGAL BECAUSE I AM INTO HIDING AT THE MOMENT.

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
SINCERELY YOURS,
CAPTAIN HASSAN USMAN.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam