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.
• 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.
  • +447011121491 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448712641240 (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.
  • uklottery_award@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: uklotto_award@freemail.lt
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:18:44 -0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION ..


The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Manchester, M70 1NM
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to notify you the draw (999) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,Online
Sweepstakes International Lottery Program held on 06th Jan,2007 Participants
were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over the
world.

The result of our computer draw (#978) selected your name and email address
attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £1,856,652(One Million
Eight Hundred AND Fifty Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Two Pounds Sterling).


You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented
below

Overseas Claims Unit
United Kingdom Lottery Fiduciary
Contact Person: Mr. Kings Robert
Email: uklottery_award@sify.com
Tel: +44-701-112-1491
Fax: +44-871-264-1240

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, details required
facilitating fund release, you are to fill the claims form below and submit
to the agent officer for speed release of your winning funds

FULL NAME:_____________________________________________________________
SEX:___________________________________________________________________
COMPANY: IF ANY _______________________________________________________
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:_______________________________________________
PHONE:________________________________________________________________
CELL:__________________________________________________________________
FAX:___________________________________________________________________
CITY:__________________________________________________________________
STATE:_________________________________________________________________
ZIP CODE:______________________________________________________________
COUNTRY: _____________________________________________________________
OCCUPATION: __________________________________________________________


CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.
Very Truly Yours,
John Smith
--
http://www.freemail.lt/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam