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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • gcs_005online@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Vanessa White Scott <ukclaimsagent_uknationallottery4@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:29:54 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: YOU HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR PAYMENT.(CONTACT GLOBAL COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR CLAIMS)


The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref:UK/9420X2/68
Batch:074/05/ZY369



Dear Winner,

CONGRATULATIONS! This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY online Sweepstakes International program.

I am happy to inform you, your Original Certificate and your Certified bank cheque has been fowarded to the courier company. Find below the details of the courier company.

GLOBAL COURIER SERVICES
ADDRESS: Rovex House, Hay Hall Rd. Tyseley,
Birmingham. B11 2AG. England.

NAME: MR. BARRY WOODS (dispatch officer)
EMAIL: gcs_005online@yahoo.co.uk

You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost of delivery.When contacting them,you are to include your winning amount as your subject.

Note: you are Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers,winning amount and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter.Once again i say congratulations and always inform me with your dealings with the courier company.and send your contact address to the courier company and your Date of birth,

Thanks,
Mrs Vanessa White Scott
Fiduciary Agent,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY


---------------------------------
What kind of emailer are you? Find out today - get a free analysis of your email personality. Take the quiz at the Yahoo! Mail Championship.

---------------------------------
New Yahoo! Mail is the ultimate force in competitive emailing. Find out more at the Yahoo! Mail Championships. Plus: play games and win prizes.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam