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:
  • "million us dollars" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs.Florence Gono <gonofamily@indiatimes.com>
Reply-To: gonofamily@gawab.com
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:25:16 +0400
Subject: From Mrs. Florence Gono, please read and get back to me


Beloved,

I am really sorry for the embarrassment likely to come from this request which I know should not have come to you through this means but as a result of desperateness I have resolved to do the same hoping that you will bear with me and at least pay attention to me.

I am a Mrs. Florence Gono and a widow to Late Mathew Gono a younger brother to the present central bank governor of Zimbabwe.

My late husband was a successful farmer there in Zimbabwe until the controversial land reforms which took away lands from the white farmers for redistribution among the blacks by the Mugabe led government.

My husband's human right position saw him arrested and tortured several times but the story was not the same when he was arrested for criticizing the federal government on the 10 day of march 2006 as he was confirmed dead from internal wounds resulting from tortures and this incident is just one out of 5,792 varied cases of human rights violation by this same administration though I do not have any confidence in the judiciary.

To cut my stories short, I have successfully shifted a fund worth of SIXTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS (US$16 million) out of my country, my two surviving children I have successfully left the country though I am temporarily staying here in the United Nations Refugee Camp here in Ivory Coast.

I need your confidentiality in settling this funds in any of your safe account(s) in your country or else where.

It is important as the fate of my two children lies on this fund.

If you think you can help us, we have decided to compensate you with 20% of the total funds while 5% will be used to settle whatsoever form of expenses you will incur in the course of this transaction.

My assurance to you is that the funds have nothing to do with Zimbabwe again neither do we have anything to do with Zimbabwe so there is no risk in helping us.

Please do let me know if you consider this request and accept to assist us and we will make available to you other details of the transaction.

Regards,

Florence Gono/children

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam