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:

• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • martinalfold@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Miss Martina Alf" <martinalf300@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: martinalf@myway.com
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:26:48 -1000
Subject: How're you doing today ?

Dear Friend,

I got your contact in confidence, and I have no doubt in your ability to
handle a transaction of this magnitude involving huge sum of money, Though
it is risky trusting a total stranger with such a huge amount, However, I
think I still believe you will not disappoint me, I am Princess (Mrs.)
Martina Alf Old (a Medical Doctor with the Federal Ministry of Health) here
in Nigeria.

The Subject: My father Chief Martin Alf Old (Esamma xxii of Eleme Kingdom)
(Now late) was the Royal head of my community, Eleme (an Oil rich town) in
Nigeria. My community produces 5.8% of the total annual Oil production in
Nigeria and 0.5% of the Dollar value of each is paid to my father as royalty
by the federal government. In his position as the royal head and chairman of
the Eleme Oil trust fund, he made some money, which he kept behind, for his
family. The money is twenty five Million, Five Hundred thousand US Dollars
(US$25.5m). This money originated from the accumulated royalties between
1998.

Due to poor banking system in Nigeria and political instability as a result
of past military regimes (1985-1999), he deposited this money with an open
beneficiary in a local security firm. He told the Security Company to
safeguard the fund until he finishes arrangement to transfer it abroad. He
was planning this when he died last year of heart Attack.

The Proposal: Just before my father died, he called my attention in respect
of the money and charged me to look for a foreigner who would assist me in
the transfer/investment of the fund. And that led in contacting you. So I
would be very grateful if you could accept to help me achieve this great
objective. I promise to give you 25% of total fund transferred as
compensation for your assistance, Five percent (5%) will be set aside to
take care of all expenses we may incure during the transaction.

Please, respond to this my private mail box martinalfold@yahoo.com

Best regards,

Mrs. Alf Old.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam