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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a "dying merchant" scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • barristerjimarko@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Harry./" <harrybhn@aol.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:25:19 +1200
Subject: *****SPAM***** Harry

DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW WE HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE, BUT I WANT YOU TO PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME
AND READ MY EMAIL CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU RESPOND TO MY LAWYER FOR ASSISTANCE,I
AM BRITISH CITIZEN CURRENTLY LIVING IN DUBAI IN
THE U.A.E, AND I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ESOPHAGEAL CANCER WHICH WAS
DISCOVERED VERY LATE, DUE TO MY LAXITY IN CARING FOR MY HEALTH. IT HAS
DEFILED ALL FORMS OF MEDICINE, AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE ONLY ABOUT A FEW MONTHS
TO LIVE, ACCORDING TO MEDICAL EXPERTS.

I HAVE NEVER PARTICULARLY LIVE MY LIFE SO WELL,AS I NEVER REALLY CARED FOR
ANYONE NOT EVEN MYSELF BUT MY BUSINESS.THOUGH I AM VERY RICH, BUT WAS
NEVER GENEROUS,I WAS ALWAYS HOSTILE TO PEOPLE AND I ONLY FOCUS ON MY
BUSINESS AS THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I CARED FOR.BUT NOW I REGRET
ALL THIS AS I NOW KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST WANTING TO HAVE
OR MAKE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD.

I BELIEVE WHEN I SECOND CHANCE TO COME TO THIS WORLD I WOULD LIVE MY LIFE
IN A DIFFRENT WAY FROM HOW I HAVE LIVED BEFORE. I HAVE WILLED AND GIVEN
MOST OF MY PROPERTIES AND ASSETS TO MY IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILY AND AS
WELL AS FEW CLOSE FRIENDS.

I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE ALMS TO CHARITY ORGANISATIONS, AS I WANT THIS TO BE
ONE OF THE LAST GOOD DEEDS I DID ON EARTH.SO FAR,I HAVE DISTRIBUTED MONEY
TO SOME CHARITY ORGANISATIONS IN THE U.A.E ALGERIA AND MALAYSIA.NOW THAT MY
HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED SO BADLY,I CANNOT DO THIS
MYSELF ANYMORE.

I ONCED ASKED MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO CLOSE ONE OF MY ACCOUNTS AND DISTRIBUTE
THE FUNDS WHICH I HAVE THERE TO CHARITY ORGANISATION
IN BULGARIA AND PAKISTAN, THEY REFUSED AND KEPT THE MONEY TO
THEMSELVES.HENCE,I DO NOT TRUST THEM ANYMORE, AS THEY SEEM NOT TO BE
CONTENDED WITH WHAT I HAVE LEFT FOR THEM THE LAST OF THE FUNDS WHICH NO ONE
KNOWS OF IS THE HUGE CASH DEPOSIT OF SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS
($16,000,000.00) IN EUROPE WITH A CARGO SHIPPING/SECURITY FIRM.

I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN BE OF GOOD HELP TO DISPATCH THIS FUND TO CHARITY
ORGANISATIONS. IF YES CONTACT MY LAWYER WITH THE
EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW AND HE WE GUARD YOU THROUGH THIS TRANSACTION BECAUSE I
HAVE EXPLAIN BETTER TO HIM, I CANNOT CHECK MY MAIL EVERYTIME SO PLEASE CO
OPERATE WITH THE LAWYER AND DO YOUR BEST.

NAME OF LAWYER: BARRISTER JOHNNY BOUWMAN
EMAIL (barristerjimarko@aim.com)

I HAVE SET ASIDE 20% FOR YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.

BEST REGARDS,

MR. HARRY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam