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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447045736294 (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.
  • legalpractitioner2001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Benson Jones" <bensonjones@btconnect.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 17:38:03 -0000
Subject: Call me for further discussion

67 Adys Road Peckham SE15 4DX
London-United Kingdom

Hello,

Sequel to your non reply to my earlier email to you dated 14/9/07, I am Barrister Benson Jones. The personal attorney to a national of your Country. who before his death lived and worked here in London On the 7 July,2005 my client, his wife and two children were killed as a reult of a bomb explosion here in London and he had $9 Million (Nine Million Dollars) deposited in security firm here if we include his accets it will total $25million dollars.

For reference, please visit this site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings

After several unsuccessful attempts in trying to locate any of his extended relatives,I decided to trace members of his extended family over the internet hence I found your contact email.I am asking you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my late client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposited. The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next 14 working days due to the fact that you both share the same name.

Particularly, Since I have been unsuccessful in locating his relatives for about a year now,I hereby seek your consent in order to present you as the next of kin to the deceased,I have decided to give you 25% of the total sum. There is no risk involved. Because I will use my position as a legal Officer and prepare all the legal documents/papers to back you up.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us succeed without any hitch and I guarantee that this will be executed under a legal and legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breech of the law in the near or even distant future.If you require additional information Please do reply me immediately.

I will advise you about the steps on how to redeem the inheritance funds from the bank. Reply me on time because the bank is waiting for you to show up and claim the funds. I will have to stop using this email address because I get a lot of unsolicited mails which are disturbing to me if I may say, so I will like you to contact me immediately on my private email address: legalpractitioner2001@yahoo.com

Betterstill, you can reach me on my direct mobile number: +44-704-573-6294 for further discussion.

Looking forward to receiving your prompt reply

Yours Faithfully,
Barrister Benson Jones.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam