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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • chan_leehk@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: CHAN LEE <promotiong10@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:59:03 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED !!!

Bank of China (Hongkong)
Shop 1021, United Centre,
95 Queensway,
Hong Kong.
Fax : + 852-301-770-23
Email : chan_leehk@yahoo.com.hk

Dear Friend,

Let me start by introducing myself to you fully. I am Mr.Chen Lee Foreign
operations manager of the Bank
of China ( Hong Kong ).

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Mr. Hamadi Hashem, who was with the
Iraqi forces and also
business man made a numbered fixed deposit for 24 calendar months, with a
value of Seventeen million
three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars (US$17,300,000.00) only in my
branch. Upon maturity
several notice was sent to him, even during the war early last year. Again
after the war another
notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later find out
that Mr. Hamadi Hashem and
his family had been killed during the war in gun fire at Mukaradeeb where his
personal oil well was.

http://www.iraqmemorialwall.org/iraqicasualties.html

After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Hamadi Hashem did
not declare any next of kin
in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he
also confided in me the last
time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank.
So seventeen million
three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no
one will ever come forward
to claim it. What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country
at the expiration of six{6}
years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if
nobody applies to claim the
funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as
a foreigner to stand as the
next of kin to Mr. Hamadi Hashem so that you will be able to receive his
funds.

MODALITIES:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall
come out successful. I have
an attorney that will prepare the necessary documents that will back you up as
the next of kin to Mr.
Hamadi Hashem. After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will
also fill in for claims on your
behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favour
for the movement of the
funds to an account that will be provided by you. We are going to adopt a
legalized method and the
attorney will prepare all the necessary document in your favour. There is a
reward for this project and it is
a task well worth undertaking. There is no risk involved at all in the matter,
I have evaluated the risks
and the only risk I have here is for you refusing to work with me and alerting
my bank. I am the only one
who knows of this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name that has
planted you into the
center of relevance in my life.

Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this
issue. Once the funds have
been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall share in the ratio of
70% for me, 30% for you. I
send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences,
but I know within me that
nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy
or on a platter of gold.
Please observe this instruction religiously.
Should you still be interested let me know and I will send you further
information.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards
Mr. Chan Lee.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam