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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "you are required to pay " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT rate in the UK is 17.5%, check the math)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +447045720187 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Alan Fox <info_ancgroup@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:45:46 +0100 (BST)
Subject: ANC Group Express Courier (Reg Order No:B447316K):- Your Package Is Ready for Delivery



ANC Group
Parkhouse East Industrial Estate
Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Staffordshire
Tel: +447045720187
+447031914876
+447031941699
Fax:+441900515732
ST5 7RB, ENGLAND, UK.


internationalCourier Company Since 1996 Our Reputation For Services and Savings is Our Most Valued Asset

Reg Order No: B447316K
ATTENTION: ,

This is to inform you that the Verifications Dept. at the Headquarters of the UK National Lottery has officially cleared you for payment. The original copy of this certificate and your cheque from the British Government stating that the money was obtained legally through their National Lottery will be sent to you as soon as you meet with any of the option selected and your winnings will be couriered or transferred to you immediately.

We are fast and reliable International Courier that specialises in offering comprehensive services to destinations world-wide. We have an extensive network of overseas specialist agents that ensures your documents, parcels, and freight are delivered safely through our door-to-door integrated Air and Road networks.

The original copy of winning certificate together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the British Government stating that the money was obtained legally through their National Lottery will be couriered to the payment bank or to you directly and transferred to you as soon as you meet with any of the option listed below and your winnings will be couriered and transferred to you immediately.


With our competitive rates and easy to use, secure facilities, you can now arrange to have your parcel collected from any address you choose, and arrange for it to be delivered to almost any destination in the world. You can now begin the final step of the claims process, which is the transferring of your cash prize to you. With regards to this, there are options open to you, you are required to select the more convenient. The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below:


------------------------------PACKAGE DETAILS-----------------------------

(1) An International Cashier cheque of £ 1,500,000.00 GB Pounds Sterlings
(2) Hard copy of your Winning Certificate.
(3) Hard copy of Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims.

Below are the mandatory Administrative Charges that you are required to pay to enable us courier these documents to your destination.



---------------------------------DELIVERY OPTIONS----------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL (Express Delivery)
Delivery in approximately 2-5 working days.
80% of USA packages delivered next day - not guaranteed.
New York & New Jersey by 10.30am next working day guaranteed.
An original certificate of weight.....0.7 Grams
Total weight of parcel................1.32 Grams
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Flight; ..............................£ 100.00
Insurance.............................£ 671.00
Vat (5%)..............................£ 019.00
TOTAL.................................£ 790.00

ECONOMY (5-7Days Delivery)
Delivery in approximately 5-7 days depending on destination - not guaranteed.
An original certificate of weight.....0.7 Grams
Total weight of parcel................1.32 Grams
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Mailing...............................£ 020.00
Insurance.............................£ 331.00
Vat (5%)..............................£ 019.95
TOTAL.................................£ 365.95

SAMEDAY Expedited
Delivery in approximately 2-3 working days.
80% of USA packages delivered next day - not guaranteed.
New York & New Jersey by 10.30am next working day guaranteed.
An original certificate of weight.....0.7 Grams
Total weight of parcel................1.32 Grams
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Mailing...............................£ 020.00
Insurance.............................£ 534.00
Vat (5%)..............................£ 019.75
TOTAL.................................£ 573.75

NEXT DAY Document Express
Delivery in approximately 2-3 working days.
80% of USA packages delivered next day - not guaranteed.
New York & New Jersey by 10.30am next working day guaranteed.
This service is for documents only.
An original certificate of weight.....0.7 Grams
Total weight of parcel................1.32 Grams
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Mailing...............................£ 020.00
Insurance.............................£ 434.00
Vat (5%)..............................£ 019.75
TOTAL.................................£ 473.75


POST OFFICE MAIL Import Services
We can arrange imports from any country in the world to the UK.
An original certificate of weight.....0.7 Grams
Total weight of parcel................1.32 Grams
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Mailing...............................£ 018.00
Insurance.............................£ 223.00
Vat (5%)..............................£ 019.95
TOTAL.................................£ 260.95


Direct Bank Transfer
The said amount £ 1,500,000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Pound Sterling) will be wired to your bank account via swift bank transfer.

Condition: The cost of transfer (COT) being charged by our transferring bank, which is 0.3% (i.e. £1,187) of the cash being transferred will be paid upfront by you.

Note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it is being remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you. Moreover, you are required to send payment charges via western union money transfer, of what ever option you have chosen to our national account's officer, who is in charge of your cheque and winning documents.

Also, you are required to send to us as soon as possible, these few information below:

(1.) The delivery option that you've chosen.
(2.) Your bank details (if you have chosen option 2, bank transfer.)

Having done this, you will be given proper guidelines on how delivery payments are made by winners. Upon the confirmation of your payment by the verifications department of this company, your parcel shall be immediately cleared for delivery and shall be delivered to you in accordance with the conditions stated in the option chosen.

Note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy by GEO-TRUST INSURANCE COMPANY, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.

Also attach a scanned copy of either your driver's license, international passport (photo page) or any other legally identifying document.

Also be reminded that the deadline for the claiming of winnings is exactly two weeks after the receipt of this email. After this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be reused in the drawings of the next edition of the lottery.

Good luck and Congratulations once again. Please send your response within the next 24hrs to this same email address.

Mr.Alan Fox.(dispatch officer),
ANC Group Express Courier

Open 7days-24hrs-365days a year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE: This email message, including any attachments, is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and prohibited from unauthorized disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1996 - 2007 ANC Group Express Courier®,Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guidelines


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam