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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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!
• 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.
  • +34626974671 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
  • +34639571283 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • hurtadocarlos1@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: grace stella <grace@gracestella.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:57:02 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Email Award


Email Award
EUROMILLONES AWARD NOTIFICATION
Loterias Y Apuestas Del Estado
CALLE AURORA NO 56,
28204 MADRID ESPANA
TEL/FAX: +34-639 571 283
REF NO: EGK/417331247/03
BATCH NO: 72/50685/MMH.
ATTENTION: Beneficiary.

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you on the release of the EUROMILLONES LOTERIAS Y APUESTAS INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PROGRAM held on the 8 th of September 2006, as part of our promotion Year bonanza. Your name attached to the ticket number 134-03650116-211 with serial number 51225-0 drew the lucky number 10-28-40-42 35 / 5-8, which consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have been approved for a lump sum payout of Euros 615,810.00 (Six hundred and fifteen thousand, eight hundred and ten euros only) in cash credited to file REF.NO: EGK/417331247/03.This from a total cash prize of Euros 13,871,320.00 (thirteen million, eight hundred and seventy one thousand, three hundred and twenty euros) shared among the seventeen international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS!!
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over ONE MLLION NAMES from Asia, Europe, Australia ,Africa, North and South America as part of our yearly high stake international program, which we conduct once every year. Your name was included by the IBERIA promotion and marketing company, and be informed that 10% of your total winning will be remitted to them once you make your claim.
To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, CARLOS HURTADO. The Foreign Operations Manager, MUTUAL TRUST SECURITY COMPANY S.A on Tel: +34 626 974 671, Fax: +34 917 615 118 or Email: hurtadocarlos1@aim.com with your Name,Address,Date of birth,Reference and Batch Number,Tel and Fax numbers,Preferred mode of payment(BANK TRANSFER OR CERTIFIED CHEQUE),if through Bank Transfer,give your banking details,and send along with these information a copy of a valid identification through Email or fax.
Congratulations, and thank you for being a part of our international promotion programme.

Sincerely,
MARIA SANCHEZ. (MRS)
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam