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:
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Aston Craig <astoncraig44@walla.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:46:00 +0100
Subject: My Business Proposals


Dear Friend,

I write to seek your co-operation as my foreign partner and your assistance. I apologize if this mail message does not suit your personal or business ethics.
My names is Barrister Aston Craig, an attorney to a deceased Immigrant and property magnate who was based in the U.K, Also referred herein as my client.
On the 25th of July 2000, my client, his wife and their two children died in the Air France plane crash bound for New York in their plan for a world cruise. Since then, I have been managing his properties here in Spain and U.K, he also sold some, brokered by me and the money paid was deposited into his account. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confisticated or declared unserviceable by
his bank and security firms. Particularly, the bank has issued me a notice to provide any of his next of kin or have the account confisticated within a short time. My late client has an account valued at USD15.5million (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars).
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some time now, and with the bank giving me a deadline, I now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD15.5 million (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) can be paid to your account. I have all necessary
information that can be used to back up any claim that we shall make.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Send me your full names and address, telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further and immediately move into actions.
Sincerely

Aston Criag

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam