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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.)
  • "accredited attorney" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• 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.
  • +447040104242 (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.
  • barrgeorgegraham_stjameschambers@hotmail.com
  • georgegraham@safe-mail.net

Fraud email example:

From: robert green <robertgreen_proceesingofficer@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 11:56:33 +0100 (BST)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?q?PAYMENT=20ADVICE=20ON=20ONE=20MILLION=20SEVEN=20HUNDRED=20?=
=?iso-8859-1?q?THOUSAND=20POUNDS=20(=A31,700,000.00)=20VIDE=20MILLWALL=20?=
=?iso-8859-1?q?EMAIL=20LOTTERY=20PROMO/ACQUISITION=20CLAIMS=20N0:=20DAB-F?=
=?iso-8859-1?q?=20XDEP/98/06?=


Dear Berne Strauss,

We are pleased to inform you that we are in receipt of your payment file credited to File Ref: 2006/3980/000374, lucky numbers 56-39-99-20 ticket number 4278-8845-284,serial number 211-358 sent to us by Millwall Email Lottery Promo and all necessary information needed by us to transfer your fund.

As a matter of fact, we have been instructed to pay you the sum of One Million Seven Hundred Thousand Pounds (£1,700,000.00) as a lucky winner in the Millwall Email Lottery Promo. Please be informed that the transmittal of your fund will be made in United States Dollars directly to your nominated bank account.

To finalize processing of the payment of your winning claim via Wire Transfer, it is mandatory that the legal requirements be fulfilled before you can redeem your winning claim. This implies that your payment order in the amount of (£1,700,000.00) must be endorsed and attested to in a court of competent jurisdiction in London UK. This is to make your prize winning Admissible in Law in reference to the British Government due to the fact that you are a foreigner.

The below stated documents must be procured in your favor to facilitate the immediate transfer of your winning claim.

1. Sworn Affidavits (Sealed by the British High Court)
2. Letter of Notarization
3. Foreign Remittance Permit

In light of this, we advise you contact our accredited attorney Barrister George Graham of St'James Chambers London Uk on telephone or via email,number +447040104242, he has been mandated to carry out the endorsement exercises on your behalf. You are to contact him immediately on the modality for notarization and endorsement of your payment order.

Contact Name: Barrister Georeg Graham

Tell: +447040104242

Email: barrgeorgegraham_stjameschambers@hotmail.com OR georgegraham@Safe-mail.net

Be informed that once all legal process and protocols are observed by the legal representative (Attorney), we shall proceed with transfer of your winnings to your designated bank account or any means deemed fit you.

yours sincerely,

Robert Green


---------------------------------
All new Yahoo! Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam