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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "maryam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447040117333 (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.
  • legalunit006@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Legal Unit" <legalunit006@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: legalunit006@sify.com
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:57:17 +0100
Subject: RECONFIRMATION NEEDED URGENTLY !

FROM THE DESK OF BARR. FRANK WILLIAMS
PHONE: +44-7040117333
ALTERNATIVE EMAIL: legalunit006@sify.com





SUB: REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP




IT IS WITH UTMOST SINCERITY AND GOOD FAITH THAT I WISH TO INTIMATE YOU ON
THE BENEATH BUSINESS. I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM THE INTERNET LINK. I WOULD
WANT TO IMMEDIATELY PUT YOUR MIND AT REST IN THAT REGARD. I THEREFORE
APOLOGIZE FOR INFRINGING YOUR PRIVACY. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER WITH DUE
RESPECT AND HONOR, BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL GIVE MY REQUEST PROPER AND URGENT
ATTENTION. THERE IS GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY DOUBT AND DISTRUST IN YOUR HEART
IN RESPECT OF THIS LETTER, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT, SO MANY MISCREANTS
HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE INTERNET TO FACILITATE THEIR NEFARIOUS DEEDS,
THEREBY MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR GENUINE AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS
CONTACTS TO GET ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION.

MY NAME IS BARR. FRANK WILLIAMS, I AM A PRIVATE ATTORNEY AND I HAVE A CLIENT
WHO IS INTERESTED IN INVESTING SOME GOOD FUND IN YOUR COUNTRY. MY CLIENT IS
A VERY IMPORTANT AND PROMINENT PERSON WHO HAS MANDATED ME TO RESEARCH FOR A
RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON WHO CAN ASSIST IN VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS
TRANSACTION. MY CLIENT IS BY NAME MRS. MARYAM ABACHA SHE IS THE WIFE OF A
LATE MILITARY HEAD OF STATE IN MY COUNTRY. HER HUSBAND LATE GENERAL SANNI
ABACHA MADE A LOT OF MONEY THROUGH NIGERIA CRUDE OIL PROCEEDS DURING HIS
TENURE IN OFFICE AS HEAD OF STATE OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. INFACT, IT
WAS DISCOVERED AFTER HIS DEATH THAT HE WAS WORTH WELL OVER $4.5 BILLION
UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND SOME OF THIS MONEY WAS RETRIEVED AFTER HE DIED
WHILE SOME WAS RECOVERED FROM OFFICIALS THAT SERVED UNDER HIM DURING HIS
REIGN AS MILITARY PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA. PLEASE KINDLY VISIT THESE SITES FOR
YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH OF THIS MATTER.

(1)http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4079607-103676,00.html
(3)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2282366.stm

HOWEVER, THE TRUTH OF THIS CASE IS THAT MY CLIENT DESPITE THE PROBLEM SHE IS
GOING THROUGH WITH NIGERIA GOVERNMENT, SHE STILL HAS A LOT OF MONEY IN HER
POSSESSION, WHICH SHE INTENDS TO INVEST OUTSIDE OUR COUNTRY. WHAT MY CLIENT
NEEDS FROM YOU NOW IS A RELIABLE ACCOUNT WHERE SHE CAN LODGE SOME MONEY, BUT
MIND YOU, ALL THE MONEY IN HER POSSESSION CAN NOT LEAVE AT ONCE BECAUSE SHE
NEEDS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT EXPOSE HER PLAN
TO AUTHORITY. SO SHE HAS AGREED THAT I SHOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE
MOVEMENT OF US$5.5M (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS ONLY) AND YOU ARE FREE TO NEGOTIATE YOUR MODE OF COMPENSATION
(PECENTAGE)

PLEASE, DO NOT HESITATE TO INDICATE YOUR VIEW OF THIS REQUEST BY CONTACTING
ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, SO THAT THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS CAN
BE MADE FOR THE MONEY TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY. DUE TO THE PRESENT SITUATION OF
MY CLIENT, I WOULD BE HAPPY IF THIS REQUEST CAN BE KEPT A SECRET. I WOULD
ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED. I HOPE MY CLIENT WOULD BE
HAPPY INVESTING WITH YOU.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE RESPONSE WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED
TO ENABLE ME KNOW THE WAY FORWARD.

THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING IN THIS MATTER

YOURS SINCERELY

BARRISTER. FRANK WILLIAMS
FOR MRS. MARYAM ABACHA

_________________________________________________________________
Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!
http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam