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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +27742447381 (South Africa, 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.
  • gregory_lulama@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: gregory_lulama@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:39:03 +0000
Subject: CONFIDENTIALITY

From the desk of:
Mr.Greg Lulama
Absa Bank (PLC)
Cape Town,South Africa.
Email;gregory_lulama@yahoo.com
Dear Sir/Ma
I am Mr.Greg Lulama,Bank Manager of Absa Bank ltd,Cape Town Branch.I got your
contact from the world trade center (WTC) Regional office in
Cape,South Africa.Although the details of my intention was not made known to
them.Actually,I listed your name amongst four other names & prayed over
them & decided to contact you directly.I have a very urgent & confidential
bussiness proposition for you & for our overall mutual interest.
On june 6 1997,an American oil consultant/contractor with the South Africa
SASOL Petroleum Corporation Mr Barry Kelly made a numbered time(fixed)
deposit for twelve calendar months,valued at USD$25,000,000.00(twentyfive
million dollars) in my branch.Upon maturity,i sent a routine
notification to his forwarded address but got no reply.After a month we sent
a reminder,& finally we discovered from his contract employers SASOL,that
Mr.Barry died in an automobile accident.
On further investigation,i found out that he did not leave a Will & all
attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless.I therefore made further
investigation & discovered that Mr.Barry did not declare any next of kin in
all his official documents,includinghis bank deposit paperwork.
This sum USD$25,000,000.00 is still floating in the bank and the interest is
being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.No one will
come forward toclaim it.
According to South African Laws, At the expiration of 7years,the money will
revert to the ownership of the South African government if nobody applies to
claim the funds. Consequently,my proposal is that i will like you as a
foreigner to stand in as a next of kin of Mr Barry Kelly.This is simple,
(1)I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names & address
so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents & affidavits,which
willput you as next of kin.
(2)We shall employ the services of two attorneys for drafting & notarization
of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/admi
nistration in yourfavour for the transfer.
(3)A bank account in any part of the world,which you will provide to
facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary.
The money will be paid into your account forus to share in the ratio of 60%
for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as the attorney and my
position will do the paperwork for this transaction as the branch manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.If you are
interested,please reply immediately via this private email address. Upon
your response,I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand.
PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY,and be rest assured that this would be
most profitable for both of us because i shall require your assistance to
invest my share in your country.Awaiting your
urgent reply via this email above,please save me theanxiety of endless
waiting.
God bless you.
Mr.Greg Lulama
Absa Bank (PLC)
Cape Town,South Africa.
Tele;+27 742447381
Please reply to this my private email;gregory_lulama@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam