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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "await your urgent response" (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)
• 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.
  • b_smith1010@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "bshsbc_bank" <bshsbc_bank@terra.com.mx>
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 07:08:13 -0600
Subject: GOOD MORNING.


MR. BARRY SMITH
ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT
HSBC Bank PLC.
LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM
EMAIL;b_smith1010@yahoo.fr

Dear friend,
I am seeking your cooperation to present you to my bank as the next of kin to Mrs. Helen Carriere cohen a foreign contractor from Australia who died in a plan crash on July 25th 2000 with her husband and children who all perished in the air France Concorde New York bound flight. Please click here below for verification.
http://news.bcc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Before her death she was a contractor to British National Petroleum cooperation (BNPC) and has a bank balance with my bank to the amount of(£15 million pounds sterling GB) which will be paid to you as his/her beneficiary. For your information I am the accountant manager of HSBC bank plc. London, United Kingdom.
The board of directors of HSBC bank plc. Mandated me to look for any known relative of Mrs. Helen Carriere cohen , since after her death all my efforts, traces has not been successful. It came to my understanding that there is no relative. Based on that, I am writing you, to ask for your cooperation to front you as the supposed next of kin/business partner to the Mrs. Helen Carriere Cohen to enable us claim this money because it will amount to injustice if we do not take this decisive step to secure this deposit and invest it into a valuable business, because if nobody comes forward to claim the fund it will be forfeited to the British government based on that I have contacted you to assist me in making this transaction a reality.
I only have to approve your application as the next of kin and the fund (£15 million) will be paid to you as the beneficiary. We are to share this fund between ourselves, you will retain 30% of the total founds 60% for me and 10% will be donated to charity organization and tsunami victims in united state of America if you are really interested in this offer you should contact me through this email address:(b_smith1010@yahoo.fr ) I will need your name in full, address, fax and phone number to enable me commence on securing all legal document that will proof you as the next of kin/business partner to our deceased customer Mrs. Helen Carriere Cohen. Please note that this transaction is 100% risk free. I will commence immediately in securing all legal documents in favor on your acceptance to fully cooperate with me.
I await your urgent response to enable us jump start this project and nature it to reality .
Yours truly,
MR BARRY SMITH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam