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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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 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.
  • laestrella.espanol@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Lottery pro award" <pro_award@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 15:06:33 +0200
Subject: FINAL NOTIFICATION.

LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION EXPERTLOTTO INTERNATIONAL AWARD.
Piso 36, calle Carlos Ortega
28002, Madrid, Spain.
www.expertlotto.com <http://www.expertlotto.com/>
TEL: 00 34 697 369 776
REF NO: XES/2002300545/06
BATCH NO: M/256545/06
Sir/Madam,
EXPERTLOTTO AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the release today of the EXPERTLOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PROGRAMMES held on the 09th JUNE, 2006.
Your e-mail address was entered as a dependent client with reference number: XES/2002300545/06. And the batch number: M /256545/06. Should there be any discrepancy, please contact LA ESTRELLA S.A DE SEGUROS ESPANA
Your name attached to ticket number:0016-359142-07 with serial number:52201-61
drew the lucky winning numbers : 14-26-27-40-42-48. Which subsequently won the lottery in the first and final category. You have therefore been approved for a winning payment of Euros 785,510.00 (SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS). In cash credited to file claims number: XES/2002300545/06. This is from a total cash prize of Euros 8,640.610.00 (EIGHT MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND FOURTY THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS). Shared among eleven international winners in this category.Congratulations!!!!!!!
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 19.000 (NINETEEN THOUSAND), names from around the world as part of our international promotions programme which we conducted.Your funds is now deposited with a security company insured in your name, with insurrance bond policy coverage. Due to mixed up of names and addresses, we ask that you keep this award from public notice untill your claim has been processed and your funds remitted to you. As this is part of our security measures to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of the situation by other participants. To begin your claim, please complete the attached form, Including the photocopy of your identification, and fax to LA ESTRELLA DE SEGUROS S.A .Who are your sole agents for the processing and remittance of your funds The contact person is MR. MAGAHEAS FERREIRA. Foreign Service Manager of LA ESTRELLA DE SEGUROS S.A On TEL:00 34 655 347 920 A!
ND FAX: 00 34 636 573 045. E-MAIL: laestrella.espanol@yahoo.es <mailto:laestrella.espanol@yahoo.es>
NOTE: all prize money must be claimed not later than 18TH AUGUST 2006. After this date, the funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed.
In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please remember to quote your reference number and batch number in every of your correspondence with us or your claims agent. And also be informed that 5%(five percent) of the winning fund belongs to LA ESTRELLA S.A DE SEGUROS.
Which will be remitted after you might have received your winnings because the fund was insured in your name.
Congratulations once again, and thank you for been a part of our international promotions
programme.
Sincerely,
MARTIN DOMINGO.
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam