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:
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +22993991207 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr John Dossou <jdossou_bk8@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <jdossou_1958@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:43:33 +0100
Subject: FROM JOHN DOSSOU TEL:+229 93991207.



FROM THE DESK OF MR,JOHN DOSSOUTHE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE,
BANK OF AFRICA COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC.
TEL: +229 93-99-12-07 DEAR SIR, I AM MR. JOHN DOSSOU, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE IN THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE BANK OF AFRICA COTONOU, I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THISBUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. I DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $5,000.000.00 (FIVE MILLION DOLLARS) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND HIS ONLY DAUGHTER IN AIR CRASH, ALASKA AIRLINE FLIGHT 261 ON 31ST JANUARY 2000. SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH,NOBODY HAS COME FOR ANY CLAIMS AS NOBODY KNEW OF THE ACCOUNT.THE NAME OF OUR LATE CUSTOMER IS MORRIS THOMPSON,HIS WIFE'S NAME THELMAN THOMPSON, DAUGHTER'S NAME SHERYL THOMPSON,THE OWNER OF DOYON LTD, IN ALASKA. YOU CAN CONFIRM THESTORY FROM THE BELOW WEBSITE. http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.htm WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND FILE FOR CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR, BECAUSE WE CAN NOT RELEASE THE FUNDS FROM HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER HIS FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT RELATIVE HAS EVER APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUNDS. UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AGREED TO LOOK FOR A FOREIGNER WHOM WE CAN PRESENT AS THE NEXT OF KIN,AND HEIR TO THE FUND SO THAT THE FUND CAN BE PAID TO HIM SO THAT WE CAN SHAREIT WITH HIM/HER BECAUSE IF NOTHING IS DONE SOON,THE FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND AND THE BANK WILL CONFISCATE THE FUNDS AND THAT WILL BE THE END. WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE AS STATED THUS: 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY WILL BE YOURS WHILE 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND OTHER OFFICIALS INVOLVED. INDICATE YOUR INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL WITH YOURFULL NAME AND PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION. THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FRE BESIDE I AM A MANAGER IN THIS BANK, AND I WILL BE YOUR INSIDER FURNISHING YOU UP WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT MAY COME,WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU IS TO KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF ITS NATURE. I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE, AND CALL ME THROUGH THIS MY PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU RECIEVE THIS MAIL:+229-93991207. BEST REGARDS MR.JOHN DOSSOU.
_________________________________________________________________
Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy!
http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam