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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +27724032806 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • global_claimsdept07@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: freegloballotto7@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 02 Jan 2006 16:11:05 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATION,YOU ARE A WINNER!!!

FROM THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL/PRIZE AWARD DEPT

WINNING NUMBERS:37-13-43-85-67-11.BV

REF:S6376527711
BATCH:S7151085135

Attn:Dear lucky Winner,

We are please to announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in Global
the FreeLotto draw held on the 1ST OFJANUARY 2006. All 10 winning
addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 International emails.
Your email address emerged alongside 9 others as a category one winner
in this year's Annual FreeLotto Draw. Consequently,you have therefore been
approved for a total pay out of $1.500,00USD(one million, Five hundred Thuosand
Dollars only)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your
Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All
participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 40,000
company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the
world.

This promotional program takes place every year. This lottery was promoted and sponsored
by Association of software producers. We hope with part of your
winning,you will take part in our next year US$20 million international
lottery.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning
information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to
you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is a part of our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of
this program by some unscrupulous elements.

Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary
agent with the below details for processing of your claims:

NAME:DR DAVID CAMPBELL
(CHIEF FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
GLOBAL TRUST AND FINANCE BV)
EMAIL:global_claimsdept07@yahoo.co.uk
TEL:+27-724 032 806

Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 30TH
JANUARY,2006.After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications
please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent
as soon as possible.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.

Note:
Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs Laura Anderson.
(AFRO-ASIAN Zonal Coordinator.)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam