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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "cashier's check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!

Fraud email example:

From: sweep18 stake <sweep18stake@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:13:21 +0000
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?(Contact_Your_Claims_agent_Immediately)=FE?=



NATIONAL LOTTERYPROMOTIONS/ PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.79 BOVILL ROAD LONDON. SE23 1EL.Ref: EGS/2251256003/02Batch: 14/0017/1PD WINNING NOTIFICATION The board of directors and entire member of staff of the National Lottery wishes to inform you of the result of the (Email Address Ballot)online Sweepstakes international program held at the British Headquarter. Your email account have been picked as a winnner of five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling (£500,000.00) in cash credited to file TU/9023118308/03. This is from a total sum of Four Million, Pounds Sterling (£ 4,000 000 ) shared amongst eight winners. This results for the month of september , 2007 is now released to you today and your email address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers -1- 9- 10 -11- 16-49 - and bonus ball -37- in the Lotto, to check your results online click on this link http://lottery.co.uk/res/ ,participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Microsoft users from company and individual email address user an initial database of 300,000 emails all participants were selected through a computer ballot system from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, USA and South America as part our International . Promotions Program, which was conducted in view of launching ourselves into the Sweepstakes Industry Worldwide and zoning all participants by their respective continents from across the globe, we produced an extensive list from which you have emerged as one of the participants of the Grand Draw. In other to claim your £500,000.00 prize, you will have to fill the form below and send it back to us for verification and then you will be inform on how your Cashier's Check for £500,000.00 will be cash., has already been insured with a financial security company her in south Africa together with your email contact. VERIFICATION/PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM1.FULL NAMES:__________________________________2.ADDRESS:____________________________________3.SEX:_______________4.AGE:________5.MARITAL STATUS:______________6.OCCUPATION:___________________7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:________________________8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________9.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL___________10.AMOUNT WON:____________________________11. COUNTRY________________________________12. INDICATE PREFERRED MODE OF PRIZE COLLECTION:B. BANK TRANSFERPlease you are adviced to complete the form and send back to us for prompt collection. You are automatically disqualified if you are below 18 years of age.Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the participants will result to disqualification. This E-mail message (including attachments, if any)is intended for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain Information that is privileged, proprietary,confidential and exempted from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination,distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Be advice to keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. For the release of your winning, kindly contact your claims supervisory officer at our office her in south africa . Congratulations from the entire member of staff and thank you for being part of our email account users program. Yours Sincerely,BRIAN HUNT.Online Co ordinator.To file for your claim, please contact our claims/fiduciary agentAGENT MR JABU FREEMANEMAIL: mrjabufreeman@yahoo.com.TEL : 27 83 402 0044FAX : 27 83 402 0044(Contact Your Claims agent Immediately)
_________________________________________________________________
You keep typing, we keep giving. Download Messenger and join the i’m Initiative now.
http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=TAGLM

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam