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 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.
  • +447040131227 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • secretaryactionaid2@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Lane" <richardlane115@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 09 Jan 2006 15:25:49 +0000
Subject: Your Cash Grant

Attn:

This is to notify you that you have been choosen By the Board of Trustees of
the Action Aid (NGO uk) as one of the final Recepients of a Cash
Grant/Donation Economic growth and a poverty alleviation scheme.

Action Aid (U.K.) a Multi-Million Pounds NGO group was established with the
objective Of Human Growth, Educational and Community development.

In line with the 28 years anniversary program, the Action Aid (U.K.) in
conjunction with the European Council is giving out One Hundred Million
Pounds Sterling as specific Donations/Grants to 150 lucky
international recipients worldwide in different categories for Business
development and Social.

These funds are freely given to use for your business and educational
development, charitable work and your community development at large.

Your Email was selected Based on an internet random selection exercise, You
therefore are confirmed one of the lucky recipients and are entitled to
850,000.00 (eight hundred and fifty thousand Pounds
Sterling Only) as charity donations/aid from the action Aid (UK).

You are required to Contact immediately the Action Aid (UK) Secretary below
by email. Endeavour to quote Your Qualification Number: (N-222-6747,
E-900-56) for qualification documentations, verification and processing of
your 850,000.00 Pounds Sterling
entitlement.

Mr.David Buff.
Action Aid (UK)
fax:+44-131-777-8025
fax:+44-198-080-1807
Tel:+44-704-013-1227
Email: secretaryactionaid2@yahoo.co.uk

Endeavour to quote your Qualification numbers (N-222-6747, E-900-56) in all
your correspondence with
Mr.David Buff.

Please note that this donations/Grants are administered by a UK Bank and
therefore subject to UK Banking Laws. You are by all means advised
to keep this whole information confidential until you have collected your
donation,This is to avoid double and unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries
informing third parties on cash grant donation.

On behalf of the Board, kindly accept our warmest congratulations!

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Richard Lane



--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam