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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • ",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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: steve michel <steve_michel046@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <steve_michel001@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:13:55 +0000
Subject: FROM MR STEVE MICHEL



FROM THE DESK OFMR STEVE MICHEL,BOA DIRECTOR OF FOREIGNREMITTANCE BANK OF AFRICABURKINA FASO IN WEST AFRICADEAR FRIEND,I AM MR STEVE MICHEL, THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DIRECTOR OF BOA BANK OFAFRICA. I HAVE URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR YOU.ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2001, MR WERNER KARL RUDDIGKEIT, A NATIONAL OF GERMAN, WHOUSED TO BE A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR WITH THE SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANYIN SAUDI ARABIA MR. WERNER KARL RUDDIGKEIT MADE A NUMBERED TIME (FIXEDDEPOSIT) FOR 36 CALENDAR MONTHS, VALUED AT GBP£30,000,000.00 (THIRTY MILLIONPOUNDS ONLY) IN MY BRANCH.UPON MATURITY IN 2004, I SENT A ROUTINE NOTIFICATION TO HIS FORWARDINGADDRESS BUT GOT NO REPLY. AFTER A MONTH, WE SENT A REMINDER AND FINALLYWE DISCOVERED FROM HIS CONTRACT EMPLOYERS, SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENTCOMPANY IN SAUDI ARABIA THAT MR. WERNER KARL RUDDIGKEIT AND HIS WIFE WITH THEIRTHREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN AN AUTO CRASH, ALL OCCUPANTS OF THEVEHICLE UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES.ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT THAT HE DIED WITHOUT MAKING AWILL, AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO TRACE HIS NEXT OF KIN WERE FRUITLESS. I THEREFOREMADE FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCOVERED THAT MR. WERNER KARL RUDDIGKEIT.DID NOT DECLARE ANY NEXT OF KIN OR RELATIONS IN ALL HIS OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS,INCLUDING HIS BANK DEPOSIT PAPERWORK IN MY BANK.THIS SUM OF GBP£30.000, 000.00 HAVE BEEN FLOATING AS UNCLAIMED SINCE2003 IN MY BANK AS ALL EFFORTS TO GET HIS RELATIVES HAVE HIT THE STONES.ACCORDING TO THE BURKINA FASO LAW AT THE EXPIRATION OF 5 FIVE) YEARS,THE MONEY WILLREVERT TO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE BURKINA FASO GOVERNMENT IF NOBODYAPPLIES TO CLAIM THE FUND AND THE FIVE YEARS IS THE END OF DECEMBER 2008. SINCE IHAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER 4 YEARS NOW, ISEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN / WITH BENEFICIARY TOTHE DECEASED SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED ATGBP£30,000,000.00 CAN BE PAID TO YOU. THIS WILL BE DISBURSED OR SHARED IN THESEPERCENTAGE, 60% TO ME AND 40% TO YOU.I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP ANYCLAIM WE MAY MAKE. ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST CO-OPERATION, CONFIDENTIALITYAND TRUST TO ENABLE US SEE THIS TRANSACTION THROUGH. I GUARANTEE YOU THATTHIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOUFROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. PLEASE, PROVIDE OR FURNISH ME WITH THEFOLLOWINGS;1. FULL NAME2. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND FAX NUMBER3. YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS4. AGEYOUR URGENT RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED AND APPRECIATED.BEST REGARDS,MR STEVE MICHEL.
_________________________________________________________________
Play free games, earn tickets, get cool prizes! Join Live Search Club. 
http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=CLUB_wlmailtextlink

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam