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:
  • "please indicate your readyness" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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)
  • "prepared to give you 30% " (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 orphan 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.
  • +23414714411 (Nigeria, landline)
• 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.
  • godwinugo1@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "godwin ugo" <godwinugo011@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:56:51 +0100
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION

FROM GODWIN UGO
EMAIL: godwinugo1@mail.ru
TEL:234-1-4714411
ATTN:
SIR/MADAM
URGENT ATTENTION
THIS LETTER MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISED SINCE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY
PREVIOUS CORESPONDENCE.THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THE HELPLESS SITUATION I FOUND
MYSELF INTO.
MY NAME IS GODWIN UGO I AM 23 YEARS OLD BOY,I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY
SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE, CAPABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON THAT CAN ASSIST ME IN
THIS DARKEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.
I LOST MY FATHER, MOTHER AND TWO SISTERS,TWO BROTHERS WITH OUR FAMILY HOUSE
DURING THE BOMB EXPLOSION AT THE ARMY CANTONMENT (BARRACKS). I AM ALIVE
WRITING YOU BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE OUTSIDE HOME AT THE TIME OF THE
EXPLOSIONS. I AM WRITING YOU NOW FROM OUR CHURCH WHERE THE VICTIMS OF THE
EXPLOSION ARE KEPT INCLUDING MYSELF. NO HOUSE, NO GOOD HEALTH,
BEFORE MY FATHER'S SUDDEN DEATH, HE KEPT THE SUM OF US$6,000,000.00 (SIX
MILLION US DOLLARS) IN CASH WITH A PRIVATE SECURITY AND FINANCECOMPANY.NOW
THAT HE IS LATE AND I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT BEHIND.
I AM WRITING YOU TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY, INVEST IT
IN A PROFITABLE BUSINESS AND RELOCATE ME TO JOIN YOU IMMEDIATELY. AS A
RESULT OF INSECURITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY HERE, I DO NOT WANT TO STAY HERE
ANY LONGER.
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR READYNESS TO ASSIST ME,SO THAT ALL THE INFORMATION
ABOUT THIS FUNDS WILL BE PASSED TO YOU IMMEDIATELY. SEND TO ME YOUR TEL/FAX
NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.
AND ALSO ASSURE ME YOU WILL NOT BETRAY ME AT THE END THIS TRANSACTION KEEP
THIS TO YOURSELF ONLY. IF THIS TRANSACTION IS PROPERLY EXECUTED, I AM
PREPARED TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE.
REGARDS,

GODWIN UGO

_________________________________________________________________
Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!
http://search.msn.com/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam