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:
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. )
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Maclean Stone <paymentprocessingoffice1980@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:44:25 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Fund Ready For Disbursement!!!




THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
CUSTOMER CENTER




Dear Alhwin,

Congratulations once again,I'm Directed to inform you that you have been approved for payment by the verification and claims proceessing department Of the UK national Lottery today.

So you are advise to choose the option on how you want to recieve your winning

It has also come to our notice that you are not a residence of the United Kingdom,the payment implementation department of the UK national Lottery has issued out a certified bank cheque for you but we would need your attention on this matter as to know how we would get your winning cheque and documents transfered to you.

We have Two options of how you would get your winnings from here since you are not in the UK,

Option 1,You need to come to England to collect your cash prize,

Option 2,We would transfer your winning cheque anddocuments to your designated address which you provided in the claims verification form through our affiliated courier company incharge of sending the winning cheque and documents to the International Winners.

Note:You will be needed to pay the courier delivery charges to the courier company to enable them deliver your winnings to you and be informed that your winnings (Cheque)are covered by the Hard cover insurance policy which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from your wininings and that of London Inland Revenue Policy on won funds that charges shall not be deducted from the amount won.

I need you to consider these Two options of payment very well and respond to my email ASAP for an onward processing for the payment of your winnings be commenced to you,Opt 1,Comming to England and Opt 2,Courier delivery.


So fill your information along with the option you choose

I hope to have informed you properly and I look forward to your anticipated co-operation and let me know your next step.

Warm Regards,


Barr. Maclean Stone,
Attorney incharge,

Tel: + (44) 702 402 6240
+ (44) 704 570 2135











---------------------------------
Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Tryit now.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam