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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • claimsagentcourage@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: heritagelotteryfund <hfunds@atmail.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:34:23 -0300
Subject: CONSULATION PRIZE(CONTACT YOUR CLAIMSAGENT)

HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDS PROMO INTERNATIONAL
7 Holbein Place, London, SW1W 8NR   United Kingdom
FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: HLF/66-I6487-00
 
Dear Winner,
We are pleased to announce you as one of the 6 lucky winners in the
HERITAGE
LOTTERY FUNDS PROMO INTERNATIONAL draw held on  3rd of August 2006. All
6
winning addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 40,000
international
emails. Your email address emerged alongside 5 others as a 3rd category
winner
in this month's draw.
 
Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of
£1,500,000 Pounds( one million five hundred thousand  pounds) only. The
following particulars are attached to your lottery payment order:
 
(i)   Winning numbers:         30, 14, 29, 21, 48, 11
(ii)  Email ticket number:     163-0-3251
(iii) Lotto batch number:      328-3GD
(iv)  File Ref. number:        HLF/66-I6487-00
 
Please contact the underlisted claims officer as soon as possible for
the
immediate release of your winnings:
 
Mr. Courage Steve,
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR,
HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDS PROMO INTERNATIONAL.
7 Holbein Place, London, SW1W 8NR   United Kingdom   
Email: claimsagentcourage@yahoo.co.uk
You are to contact your claims agent with the following informations:
Payment And Release Order Form
 
1. Name in full :               
2. Address :                  
3. Nationality  : 
4. Age :                          
5. Occupation :            
6. Sex :                         
7. Phone/Fax :              
8. Amount Won:
9. Email address:         
 
 Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 
 Sincerely, MRS  HELEN PALMER THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS, HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND
Important Notice: Your Email address and winning information were
provided by
INTERNET AND EMAIL CENSORS ASSOCIATION Irish National Lottery accepts
no blame
for any unwarranted use of email addresses, therefore all blames,
complains
should be directed to the INTERNET AND EMAIL CENSORS ASSOCIATION.
N.B:
1.All claims are nullified after 20 working days from today.
2.Your Ref number must be in all your mails with the claims officer.
3.Do inform the claims officer of any change of names or addresses.
4.Remember to Contact your claims agent

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam