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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims director" (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 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.
  • +447031924017 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • mrfred_hamond@yahoo.com.ar (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: COMMON WEALTH OF NATIONS <commonwealth_programmes@yahoo.it>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:13:11 -0400
Subject: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS WON IN THE COMMON WEALTH GAMES PROMO!!!

FROM THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House, Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X/05 
Batch: 074/05/ZY369  
 
                        WINNING NOTIFICATION
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the results of the recently held Common Wealth of Nations Sweepstakes International programmes  held on the Ist of July,2006.
 
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 025—11464992—750 with Serial number 2113—05 drew the lucky numbers 4—18—24—30—31—35 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £500,000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED KINGDOM POUNDS  ONLY ) in cash credited to file REF NO:EGS/2551543252/02.This is from a total cash prize of  £5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION UNITED KINGDOM POUNDS) shared among the ten international winners in this category.
 
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Asia, Australia, New zealand, Europe and North America  and all major countries constituting the British Common Wealth of Nations as part of our international promotions programes to help alleviate poverty amongst members and Non-members of the BRITISH COMMON WEALTH OF NATIONS.
 
Our Claims Director  will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned!!
 
To file for your claim, please contact our claims director below:
 
Mr.Fred Hamond
Claims Director
Common Wealth Lottery Promotions
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House, Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX
Email: mrfred_hamond@yahoo.com.ar  
Tel:(+44) 7031924017  (+44) 7031921214
 
Winners are requested the following underlisted informations to their claims officer:
 
*Full Names*
*Contact Address*   
*Telephone Number*
*Occupation*
*Fax Number*
*Nationality*
*Ticket Number  
*Batch Number*   
*Reference Number*  
*Serial Number*
 

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with us or your agent.Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.
 
Congratulations once again from all members of our staff Of the British Common Wealth of Nations.
 

Mrs. Dianne  Halendale
Promotions Manager
Common Wealth Lottery Promotions
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House, Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam