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)
  • "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. )
  • "certified bank draft" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • john_micheal666@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: augustine mighty <augustinemighty222@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <john_micheal666@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 10:37:38 +0100
Subject: CONTACT HALLMARK COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR PACKAGE


DEAR FRIEND,SORRY TO HEAR THIS NEWS, THE FAULT IS NOT FROM MY SIDE RATHER YOURACTION.I AM VERY HAPPY TO INFORM YOU ABOUT MY SUCCESS IN GETTING THOSE FUNDTRANSFERED UNDER THE CO-OPERATION OF MY NEW PARTNER FROM GERMANY AND IWILL NOT FORGET YOUR PAST EFFORT TO ASSIST ME TO TRANSFER THOSE FUNDDESPITE THAT IT FAILED US SOME HOW.I DRAFTED A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OF ($800.000.00) DOLLARS TO COMPENSATEYOU AND I GOT INFORMATION FROM ECOBANK DIRECTOR THAT THE CHEQUE HAS ONEWEEK TO EXPIRE.
DUE TO OUR PAST PROBLEM WE ENCOUNTERED, I INSTRUCTED MY SECRETARY TORETURN THE CHEQUE BACK TO THE BANK AND I TOLD THE DIRECTOR MARTHIN DAVETO CONVERT THE CHEQUE INTO CASH TO AVOID LOOSING THE MONEY.ALL THE ARRANGEMENT OF DELIVERING $800.000.00 IN CASH WAS MADESUCCESFUL WITH HALLMARK COURIER COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC.
CONTACT DR.JIMI AKAN THE DIRECTOR, AND INSTRUCT HIM WHERE TO DELIVERTHE BOX SINCE THE FUND IS COMING IN CASH.Email (john_micheal666@yahoo.fr)BELOW IS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO DELIVER THE PACKAGE TO YOU.
1. YOUR FULL NAME:-------------------------------
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS:--------------------------
3. YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER:-----------------------
5. YOUR DATE OF BIRTH:------------------------------------
6. YOUR ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION7. INCLUDE YOUR BOX REGISTERED NUMBER(00864)I HAVE PAID FOR THE DELIVERY FEE AND MY SECRETARY STATED THAT THE TRUNKBOX FUND WAS DEPOSITED AS AFRICAN CLOTHS FOR SECURITY REASONS AND IT ISCOVERED WITH INSURANCE BOND.DON'T LET THE COURIER TO KNOW THE REAL CONTENT OF THE BOX FOR THE SECUREOF YOUR FUND.
I'M BUSY HERE WITH MY NEW PARTNER FOR INVESTMENT PROJECT IN GERMANYTHIS IS THE REASON YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE THIS FUND THROUGH COURIER.I JUST HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EMAIL YOU TODAY.DO LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE FUND SO THAT BOTH OF US WILLSHARE JOY TOGETHER.
REGARDS AUGUSTINE.
_________________________________________________________________
With Windows Live Hotmail, you can personalize your inbox with your favorite color.
www.windowslive-hotmail.com/learnmore/personalize.html?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGLM_HMWL_reten_addcolor_0607

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam