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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • patrickdit4@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Patrick Camara" <patrickdit@dugem.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: patrickdit4@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 13:20:02 +0200
Subject: Hello.

Good Day,
I come to you with a sincere heart believing in Almighty God that you will consider my plight and come to help and also benefit from me. I am Patrick Camara i will like to do business with you which will base on trust. Before i proceed please accept my apology for the embarrassment this mail might cause you for coming from a total stranger who you do not know. Actually i got your contact from the Internet; please do not feel bad about it because i am compelled to reach you due to urgent need to safeguard the money in question. Once again, forgive me and come to my aid.

My late father left me with US$7M in cash (Seven million, US dollars). This money was meant for investment abroad but unfortunately he suddenly died before actualization of his aspiration.This amount of $7M in CASH was deposited with a security company which i will disclose in subsequent mail. I write to solicit your assistance for the money to be transferred to your custody.I would want you to come forward and receive this the money in cash on our behalf from the security company for subsequent disbursement between you and us. I will appreciate if you can consider our plight and assist us. For your assistance, we have agreed to compensate you with 20% of the total amount (US$7M) while the remaining 80% is for us. We hope to invest part of our share in your country on viable area of investment as you may advise us.

I assure you that the transaction is 100% risk free.
Please i want you to keep this transaction absolutely secret.You should please on reply enclose your private telephone, fax number so that we can have more confidential correspondence.Contact me:patrickdit4@yahoo.com
Best regards,
Patrick Camara.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam