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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (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 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.
  • kennethokwu@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: kenneth okwudili <kennethokwuo10@hotmail.fr>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:41:53 +0100
Subject: Urgent Response Needed



FROM THE DESK OF: BARRISTER KENNETH OKWUDILIPLOT 2A PARKLANE AVENUELAGOS. Dear Friend,With warm hearts I offer my friendship, and my greetings, and I hope This letter meets you in good time. It will be surprising to you to Receive this proposal from me since you do not know me personally. And due to the rate of scam mails being sent around the world, you might find it difficult to trust anyone just as myself back here,but please do not regrad this mail as such as i have all genuine documents and facts backing my claims,
I am Barrister Kenneth Okwudili, a solicitor at law. I was the personal attorney Him, a National of your country, who used to work with shell Development Company (sP) .Before his death on the 6Th of May, 2002 my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident which all occupants of the car died. My client deposited as family belongings in a Diamond Bank the sum of $12.8 million in a Diamond Bank ltd, here in my country for himself, with the hope of tansferring it to his country as soon as he is on leave. Since his death I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you over the Internet since you are a foreigner, I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank where the deposit was made. Now the Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the Fund confiscated within the next few official working days,since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2years now.I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you are a foreigner so that the proceeds of this deposit [$12.8million dollars] be sent to you, We intend to share the money upon successful completion of the transaction as follows: 40% will be entitled to you for your assistance, while 60% will be for me, Should this meet your utmost consideration, please give me your earliest reply through my Alternative email: (kennethokwu@yahoo.it) for further details,please Feelfree to ask any question you consider necessary,This is a genuine transaction and is 100% risk free.My chambers will acquire all legal documents [DEATH CERTIFICATE AND DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE} that can be used to back up claim. All require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement thatwill protect you from any breach of the law. The confidentiality in this transaction can not be overemphasized as I trust and believe that you willoblige us the security and attention it demands. Please treat this transaction with absolute confidentiality. Send to me your1:Full Name:2:Home Address:3:Occupation:4:Sex:5:Age6:Telephone Number:If you are interested in doing this transaction with me kindly send yourreply to this email address (kennethokwu@yahoo.it)Thanks very much, and God Bless. Best Regards,Barrister Kenneth Okwudili
_________________________________________________________________
Téléchargez le nouveau Windows Live Messenger !
http://get.live.com/messenger/overview

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam