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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • bellomuhameed@inmail24.com

Fraud email example:

From: "MUHAMEED BELLO" <bellomuhammeed2@msn.com>
Reply-To: bellomuhameed@inmail24.com
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:17:40 +0000
Subject: Strictly Confidential

Mr.Bello Muhameed,
United Bank Of Africa
Marina Street,
Lagos,Nigeria.
Reply to:bellomuhameed@inmail24.com
Attenion,
I think it is very important at this juncture to introduce myself to you.
I am Branch Manager with united bank of africa in nigeria,I have an urgent
and very profitable business proposal for you that should be handled with
extreme confidentiality.
I got your email address from the Internet.This is an urgent and very
confidential business proposition,but all the same, I believe we do not need
to be of blood relatives before we can establish cordial/business
relationship on January 6,1999 a Foreign Oil Consultant and contractor with
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mr. James Herbert by name
made a numbered time Fixed Deposit for twelve calendar months valued at
US$20Million (Twenty Million United States Dollars Only) in my branch.
Upon maturity I sent a routine notification in accordance with the Bank
policy to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month we sent a
reminder and finally wediscovered from his contract employers the Nigerian
National PetroleumCorporation (NNPC) that Mr. James Herbert died from an
automobile accident.
On further investigation, we found out that he died without making a Will
and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigations and discovered that Mr. James
Herbert did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official
documents including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$20.Million has been carefully moved out of my bank to a
Security Company in Europe for safekeeping No one will ever come forward to
claim it and according to Nigerian Law, at the expiration of 5 years the
money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody
applies to claim the fund.
This prompted us to contact you.We will like to front you as the next of kin
of our late client thereby making you the legal beneficiary of the sum of
$20 million U.S Dollars that is presently in a Security Company in Europe.
I contacted you because it is against our code of ethics to own and operate
foreign accounts and your assistance would be needed to claim the money in
the Security Company in Europe,We have unanimously agreed that 25% of the
entire sum would be for you if you agree to take part in this profitable
transaction,70% for me and 2 of my colleagues while the remaining 5% would
be used to pay back the expenses that may be incurred during the course of
the transaction by both parties after the fund has been claimed as the next
of kin.
I want to present you as the owner of the funds so you can be able to claim
them with the help of my attorney.
This is simply,I will like you to provide immediately your full names and
address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will
put you in place as the beneficiary of the funds. The money will be moved
out for us to share in the event that you are genuinely interested in the
transaction,there are some information would be needed from you to commence
transaction FULL NAME,CONTACT ADDRESS,PHONE AND FAX NUMBER to commence
operation.
The transaction is 100% risk free as all modalities has been perfected to
ensure the hitch free success of the transaction.
Awaiting your urgent reply via email.
Thanks and my regards.
Mr.Bello Muhameed.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam