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)
  • "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))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: STEVEN PETERS <stevenpeters@myway.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:00:34 +0200
Subject: PLS.CONSIDER AND REPLY SOONEST!!!!!!!!!!!

FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
BARCLAYS BANK LONDON.

 

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM MR.STEVEN PETERS, THE ( P.A) PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR FOREIGN REMITTANCE OF BARCLAYS BANK LONDON I WAS DIRECTED TO INQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU CAN HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION ON BEHALF OF MY BOSS AND HIS DEVOTED COLLEAGUES THE TRANSACTION IS ABOUT ASSISTING US AS OUR FOREIGN PARTNER TO ENABLE US PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN/BENEFICIARY OF THE US$25MILLION DOLLARS LEFT BY OUR LATE CUSTOMER WHO DIED SINCE JANUARY 2003 ALONG SIDE WITH HIS FAMILY OF THREE IN A MOTOR ACCIDENT.

BE INFORMED THAT THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN RE-DEPOSITED IN ONE OF THE PRIVATE SECURITY'S COMPANY FOR YOUR SAFE CLAIM OF THE FUND,UPON YOUR RESPONSE, THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS WILL BE PREPARED IN YOUR NAME,FOR EASY CLAIM OF THE FUNDS FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 25% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR HELP,WHILE 5% WILL BE SET-ASIDE TO RE-IMBURSED BOTH PARTIES FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THIS TRANSACTION. WE WILL SHARE THE BALANCE OF 70% AMONG OURSELVES AS THE INITIATORS.

WE WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION WHEN WE RECEIVE YOUR AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
 
MR.STEVEN PETERS,

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam