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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Muhamed Yaya <muhamedyaya07@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: muhamedyaya_tg@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 00:44:10 +0100 (BST)
Subject: DEAR FRIEND


Dear Friend,

I, MR.Mr.Mhamed Yaya the director in charge of auditing and accounting section of Banque Togolaise Pour Le Commerce Et L'Industrie Lome-Togo in West Africa with due respect and regard. I have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us at the end of the transaction .

During our investigation and auditing in this bank, my department came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased person who died On the 26th of december 2003,his wife and their only daughter were involved in a ghastly Plane Crash in a village called Adjarra near Porto Novou after take off from Cotonou in Benin Republic where they went for a Concert.

His account with this Bank has been dormant inwithout any claim of the fund in our custody either from his family or relation. This is the money left behind in the bank by our deceased customer with the account number: btci A/c#. 41056212298, Mr John Schelpert who died in an air crash On the 26th of December 2003 with his entire family. He resident in
Lome-Togo. You are adviced to visit their crash site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm

The said amount was (U.S $8.5M UNITED STATES DOLLARS). Meanwhile all the whole arrangement to put claim over this fund as the bonafide next of kin to the deceased, get the required approval and transfer this money to a foreign account has been put in place and directives and needed information will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and willingness to assist us and also benefit your self to this great business opportunity.

Please, you have been adviced to keep "top secret" as we are still in service and intend to retire from service after we conclude this deal with you. I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your wish in this deal.CALL ME +2289146970

Yours faithfully,
Mr.Mhamed Yaya

---------------------------------
Are you a hoarder? Then you'll love Yahoo! Mail with unlimited storage.

---------------------------------
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