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:
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk boxes" (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)
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: DRPETEROBI <drpeterobi@blackglobalnetwork.net>
Reply-To: peterobi-9@myway.com
Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 23:41:44 -0500
Subject: from you dearly friend




FROM: THE DESK OF THE ACCOUNTANT OF PETER OBI.
REQUEST FOR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP.

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM PETER OBI. AN ACCOUNTANT WITH BEAGON-OIL
NIGERIA. LTD. A FOREIGN OIL COMPANY BASED IN
LAGOS-NIGERIA. BEAGON WAS INVOLVED INPROSPECTING,
DRILLING AND BUNKERING OF OIL AT HIGH SEA(OFFSHORE)
WITH EXPATRIATE CONSISTING MAJORITY OF THE STAFF
STRENGTH.

UNFORTUNATELY, THESE EXPATRIATES GOT INTO AN ILLEGAL
SALE OF OIL AND THE MONEY FROM IT TRANSFERRED THROUGH
A FINANCE COMPANY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT WITH A
SECURITY STAMP ON IT. AND AFTER SOME TIME THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA DISCOVERED THE ILLEGAL DEAL, AND
REVOKED THEIR LICENCE AND THE EXPARTRIATES WERE
REPATRIATED.

SO, BY VIRTUE OF MY POSITION AS THE ACCOUNTANT OF THE
BEAGON OIL COMPANY, I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION ALL
DOCUMENTS CONTAINING ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THREE OF
THESE TRUNK BOXES DEPOSITED WITH THE FINANCE COMPANY.
THE CONTENT OF THESE BOXES IS THIRTEEN MILLION FIVE
HOUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$13.5M).
WE HAVE PUT IN AN APPLICATION WITH THE FINANCE COMPANY
TO TRANSFER THESE THREE BOXES TO THEIR CORRESPONDENCE
OFFICE IN AMERICA AND CANADA, ASIA OR EUROPE WHICH
THEY HAVE OBLIGED. AND BEING THAT THIS DEAL WAS BEEN
CARRIED OUT BY A FOREIGN FIRM, WE NEED A TRUST WORTHY
FOREIGNER LIKE YOU THAT WILL ASSIST ME TO A LOGICAL
CONCLUSION OF THIS PENDING BUSINESS WHICH I BELEIVE
TAHT IF YOU ASSIST ME TO CLAIM THIS BOXES THAT BOTH OF
US WILL BOUND TO BENEFIT EARNESTLY FROM THE
TRANSACTION RIGHT.

RIGHT NOW ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND BEFORE THE
FINANCE COMPANY AND SIGN AS ONE OF THE EXPATRIATES TO
ENABLE YOU CLAIM THE MONEY AND PAY IT INTO YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT AFTER YOU MUST HAVE CLAIM THE BOXES (MONEY)
OUT OF THE FINANCE COMAPNY.
PLEASE, NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK-FREE
AND THERE IS NOT HARM OR SCAM INVOLVE, FOR EVERY
MACHINERIES HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR SUCCESSFUL AND
SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS MUTUAL TRANSACTION. AND
PLEASE REMEMBER,THAT I HAVE WITH ME ALL THE NECESSARY
VITAL DOCUMENTS THAT WILL PROVE AND PRESENT THAT THE
MONEY BELONG TO US.

WE EXPECT YOU TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND KIND ENOUGH TO
KEEP OUR OWN SHARE OF THE MONEY,WHEN THE MONEY FINALLY
GETS TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I HEREBY AGREE TO COMPENSATE
YOUR SINCERE AND CANDID EFFORT IN THIS REGARD WITH 30%
OF THE FUNDS AFTER THE TRANSFER AND 5%(PERCENT) WILL
BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES BOTH LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION,LIKE TELEPHONE BILLS AND
ANY EXPENSES ETC. WILL BE SETTLED FROM THIS
PERCENTAGE,WHILE 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND TWO OF MY
COLLEAGUES. NOTE THAT THIS DEAL WILL BE CONCLUDED
WITHIN SEVEN (7) WORKING DAYS WITH YOUR FULL SUPPORT.

WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU,
AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSACTION.
PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS PROPOSAL VIA
E-MAIL:, PLEASE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED KINDLY FORWARD
TO US THE FOLLOWING DETAILS BELLOW TO ENABLE US
PROCCEED IMMETIATELY AND FOR EASIER COMMUNICATION
ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.

{1} YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS,
{2} YOUR COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS,
{3} YOUR TEL/FAX ALSO CELL,
{4} A COPY OF YOUR I.D ALSO YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION,

PLEASE NOTE, THAT ALL THIS INFORMATION’S REQUIRE FROM
YOU WILL BE US TO SECURE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT’S THAT
WILL BACK YOU UP CLAM THE MONEY.
YOURS FAITHFULLY.

PETER OBI & CO,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam