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:
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • bisi_george2@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: bisigeorge@e-places.net
Reply-To: bisi_george2@yahoo.dk
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:53:25 -0500
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT


I sincerely apologize for intruding into your privacy, especially by contacting you through this means for a business transaction of this magnitude, but due to its seriousness and urgency it therefore became necessary for me to seek for your assistance.

I am Bisi George, a Solicitor at law. I am the personal lawyer to Mr. Gabriel, a nationality of your Country who was a Seasoned Contractor with Shell Petroleum Company in Lagos. He unfortunately died in the plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou, Benin republic on the December 25, 2003. You will read more details about the crash on visiting this website: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/

I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, all to no avail. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to seek your assistance.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank where his huge deposits were lodge. Particularly, the Intercontinental Bank Plc, where the deceased had an account valued at about Five Million, Five Hundred And Twenty Two Thousand United States Dollars (US$5.522M) has issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 Months now I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at (USD5.522M) can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. 50% to me, 10% will be set aside for expenses and 40% to you.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through and I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Do not forget to include the below information.

1. FULL NAME
2. YOUR RESIDENTAIL ADDRESS
3. YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
4. YOUR MARITAL STATUS
5. YOUR OCCUPATION.
6. AGE

Copy your reply to my alternative mailbox bisi_george2@yahoo.dk


Barrister Bisi George.
Legal Practitioner & Solicitor
Co-operate Consultant/Advocate

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam