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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +27839557133 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "fredrick maha" <fremaha_3@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 10:16:04 +0000
Subject: ONWARD TRANSFER

From:Mr Fredrick Maha
Tel:+27-83-955-7133
Johannesburg [JHB],
South Africa


ATTN:SIR/MADAM,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise since we don’t know
each other before,but for purpose of introduction, I am Mr Fredrick Maha, a
Bank Manager of one of the commercial bank here in South-Africa.There is an
account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1991 nobody has operated on
this account again,After going through some old files in the records, I
discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be
forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is Mr. Ben.Andreas, a foreigner,and a miner at
Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession and he died since 1990. No other
person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the account has
no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his
company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved is
(USD 28.2M) Twenty-Eight Million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be
approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign
account because the money is in us dollars and the former owner of the
account is Mr. Ben.Andreas is a foreigner too.

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't know our
selves before. We will sign an agreement, but be sure that it is real and a
business. Please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to
take immediately.

Send also your private telephone and fax numbers including the full details
of the account to be used for the deposit. I want us to meet face to face or
sign a binding agreement to bind us together so that you can receive this
money into a foreign account or any account of your choice where the fund
will be safe. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal and sharing and
other investments.

I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign
account and foreign beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make this
work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any
foreigner, who has correct information of this account, which I will give to
you later immediately, if you are capable and willing to handle such amount
in strict confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for
our mutual benefit because opportunity like this comes only once in my life
time.

I need truthful person in this business because I don't want to make mistake
I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position now in the office I
can transfer this money to any foreigner's reliable account, which you can
provide with assurance that this money will be intact pending my physical
arrival in your country for sharing.

I will destroy all documents of transaction immediately we receive this
money leaving no trace to any place. You can also come to discuss with me
face to face after which I will make this remittance in your presence and
two of us will fly to your country at least two days ahead of the money
going into the account. I will apply for annual leave to get visa
immediately I hear from you that you are ready to act and receive this fund
in your account.

I will use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward
transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance forms of
the ministries and foreign exchange departments. At the conclusion of this
business, you will be given 25% of the total amount, 70% will be for me, and
while 5% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred during the
process of transferring.

I look forward to your earliest reply. Thanking you for your understanding.

Yours Sincerely.

MR FREDRICK MAHA

_________________________________________________________________
Find just what you're after on your PC with Windows Desktop Search - FREE!
http://desktop.msn.co.za/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam