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:
  • "payment for the courier" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT is 17.5% in the UK but 5% in Nigeria)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +447011130976 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Gordon Jakes <gordonjakes_fiduciaryagent@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:53:38 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: ***COURIER CHARGES***(REG NO:103309 )



REG NO:103309

Link House, Link Place,
BRIGHTON, Sussex,
BN1 7DX, ENGLAND.
Attention: Amd Austerhagen,
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Thank you for contacting us. This is to inform you that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the Irish NATIONAL LOTTERY.

The original copy of your certificate and your cheque from the Irish government stating that the money was obtained legally through their National Lotto will be sent to you as soon as you meet up with the requirements of any of the delivery options selected by you.

You can now begin the final step of the claims process, which is the Delivering of your cash prize to you. With regards to this, you are to choose from any of the two delivery channel listed below, the one that would be most convenient and affordable to you.

GREYHOUND COURIER EXPRESS(2working days)
Mailing &n bsp;............................100 UK POUNDS
Insurance;...................................200 UK POUNDS
Vat (5%);....................................100 UK POUNDS
Total;..........................................400 UK POUNDS
708.773 USD
United States Dollars

GREYHOUND COURIER REGULAR POST(3working days)
Mailing &n bsp;............................50 UK POUNDS
Insurance;...................................150 UK POUNDS
Vat (5%);....................................100UK POUNDS
Total;..........................................300 UK POUNDS
531.497 USD
United States Dollars


The insurance company declined reverse payment for the courier, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the Cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, that you cannot sue the courier or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the Cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.
With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out. So you are to forward the cost of mailing your Cheque with any of the courier channel cost you choose above to us.

Description Of Parcel to be couriered.
An original certificate of weight....................0.5Gramms
Bank Cheque .............................0.4Gramms
Total weight of parcel...............................0.9Gramms
Colour of parcel.....................................Brown

You are expected to send your response to this email within the next 24hrs.


(dispatch officer) Management,
SWIFT COURIER SERVICES.
Phone: +447011130976
Email: gordonjakes_fiduciaryagent@yaho.co.uk
Open 7days-24hrs-365days a year

GREYHOUND


---------------------------------
Now you can scan emails quickly with a reading pane. Get the new Yahoo! Mail.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam