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:
  • "utmost confidentiality" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (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.
• 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.
  • +447045704935 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448712646537 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • mr.stevegoe@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: steve herbert <steve_herbert00@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:05:58 +0100
Subject: hello



My name is Stevens Geoffrey Herbert I work as an auditor for PriceWatersCoppers Jersey, Channel Islands, working as part of a bigger team that covers the entire United Kingdom and Europe. We render external auditing services for banks and finance houses across the globe. On my routine audit check last year, I discovered some investment accounts that had been dormant for at least 6 years. All the accounts belong to a single one account holder with monies totalling a little above £11,700,670 Eleven million seven hundred thousand six hundred and seventy British Pounds sterling’s. Now banking regulation/legislation here demand that I do notify the fiscal authorities after a statutory time span of 7 years when dormant accounts of this type are called in by the Jersey monetary regulatory bodies. The above set of facts underscores my reason for writing and proposing to you. My investigation of the said account reveals that the investor who unfortunately died with his wife, only daughter and her husband in a plane crash of Flight AF4590 from Paris to New York U.S.A on Tuesday 25 July, 2000. I can confirm with certainty that no next of kin to his estate has been found or has come forward all these years. You can check the link below for more details about the disaster; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/851209.stm I am of the settled conviction that using my insider leverage, I, working with you can secure the funds in the account for us instead of allowing it pass as unclaimed funds into the coffers of the Government of Channel Islands. This exactly is why I crave your participation and co-operation. I have in my custody all relevant documents (legal and Banking) that will facilitate your claims as the beneficiary of the funds. If this offer is okay by you, we can put minds together and workout the modalities and our mutual benefits. I shall however leave out the finer details of this transaction till I receive an affirmation of your desire to participate. Be assured that I am in control of the situation and as such, there would be no risk whatsoever if you elect to come on board. Needless to say, UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY is of vital importance if we are to successfully reap the immense benefits of this transaction. Please send your response and contact details E.g. Full names, Direct telephone, Fax numbers, Email and if available scanned copy of your international passport or drivers license so I can be sure of your identity before we commence business send to my private and more confidential fax and email below, which I have created for this purpose only. Regards, Mr. Stevens Geoffrey Herbert Tel: +44-704-570-4935Fax: +44-871-264-6537Email:mr.stevegoe@hotmail.com

_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam