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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +22997920100 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Melissa Wilson <melissawilson@orange.nl>
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 14:03:24 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Call me pls !


Barrister Charles Preval
Email: charlespreval@internet.lu
Tel: +229 97 92 01 00
Dear


I am Prince Charles Preval, a Lawyer.My client Mr Patrick and his wife was among the people that died in that aircrash involving Gol Airlines in Brazil on the 30th of September 2006.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1884877,00.html)
He deposited $4.2M in a Finance Company here which he intends to invest in this country.

To my surprise I have received several letters from the Finance Firm asking me to locate any of his
relation who will come and claim his money since his next of kin which is the wife also died.

The Finance Firm told me that if nobody comes to claim the money, they will confiscate it in line with the Banking policy.All my efforts to locate his relations have been unsuceessful .

The above reason is why I am contacting you to work with me to claim this money since you are a foreigner
.

I will take of every step to make this project a success legally.

I decided that we will share the money when we secures it, may be invest jointly if you wish.

Please this matter is urgent so get back to me as soon you read this mail so I will give you more details
abou this.

Waiting for your earliest response.
Best Wishes,
Ms Melissa Wilson ( Sectretary )
Barrister Charles Preval
Email: charlespreval@internet.lu
Tel: +229 97 92 01 00

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam