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:
  • "million 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)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Chariot Lottery (UK) Plc" <info@chariot.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: claim@chariot.co.uk
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:29:23 +0000
Subject: Felicitations!!!

CHARIOT LOTTERY (UK) PLC
Hythe House: 200 Shepherd's Bush Road London W6 7NL
Tel: 44 208 6164 900 Fax: 44 871 253 2735
Reference Numbers:CHLOT1006/XSS32182147850

Dear Winner,


Re: Oct 2006 e-lottery Promotion

Chariot International Electronic Lottery organizers of 'Playmonday' is
a private international e-lottery company which officially bring to
your notice of the final draw result of the 25th Sept 2006 e-lottery
Promotion which was conducted at our corporate office complex here The
United Kingdom.


Most recently, this Company (Chariot) set up the new e-lottery
programme to give out prizes based on computer ballot system. By doing
this therefore, you do not need to buy a ticket to enter for it.
As the company seek to encourage the use of Internet for academic and
business pursuits. It major aim is to promote music, theatre, art,
literature, projects in the areas of social-economic arena with
a focus on health, as well as science, research and higher education.

Consequently, we wish to congratulate and inform you on the selection
of your email ID which was selected randomly among the 45 lucky prize
winners which drew these lucky numbers:5-16-28-32-34-45-6-11-14-18-23-35.

Subsequently, you won yourself a cash prize of Two Million United
States Dollars (USD$2,000,000.00) As the Payment Board have approved a
pay-out of your cash prize which will be remunerated directly to you by
the Prize remittance Unit. The Prize remittances Unit (PRU) will
render to you complete assistance and provide additional information
and processes for the claim of your prize.


This promotion Program is sponsored by a group of corporate
establishments, individuals and accredited charitable organizations
world-wide. Be informed that a minimum of 10% of your prize MUST be
donated to a remarkable charity organization in your locality.


For due processing of your Cash Prize, please contact payment
facilitator:Tim Holley who will assist you at:
tim.holley@chariott.org.uk for more information with your contact
Details Immediately.(Full Names,Address,ref no Telephone and Fax No)
As all winnings must be process and claimed not later than 31st Oct.2006.
Once again, congratulations!!

Best Regards,
Signed
Stuart Keith,
Media Relations Officer,
For: Chariot (UK) plc

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam