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:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +2348035621835 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Attorney Adim F. Williams."<ucb7@myway.com>
Reply-To: adimfelixwilliams@o2.pl
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 16:07:49 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Dear Next of Kin. (PLEASE HELP ME).


Attorney Adim Felix WilliamsTel: + 234803 562 1835

Dear Sir,

How are you and your family? I am Attorney Adim Felix Williams. I am the Personal Attorney to your late Uncle. He retired on the 20th day of October 2005. After 3 (days), your late uncle died in a (PLANE CRASH) on his way to Abuja for a Conference meeting having with the Federal Government of Nigeria. You can view the tragedy Web-site on:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/10/23/nigeria.plane/

The pilot of Bellview Airlines Flight 210 pilot issued a distress call just before the control tower lost sight of the plane, about three minutes after takeoff, officials said. All (117) people aboard a passenger jet that crashed shortly after take-off from Lagos are dead, including several high-level US/Nigerian officials. Your late uncle deposited the total sum of US$20 Million in a Finance House hoping of transferring the funds to his country as soon as he comes back from the conference.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his First and last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family. I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confisicated or declared serviceable by the Finance House where this huge funds were lodged. Particularly, the Finance House Where the deceased had an account valued at about US$20 Million, has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confisicated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives, i seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same name, so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$20 Million can be paid to you as the next of kin. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this dealt through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any reach of law and before the Bank officials will transfer the money to the Federal Government as Account Unclaimed Inheritance Funds. Meanwhile, 20% of the said fund should be paid to me, then 70% to you, while 10% can also be paid to you, Incase if the Bank demands for any legal documents from the Federal High Court Of Justice. I want you to call me immediately you receive this message on Tel: + 234803 562 1835.

Thanks and God bless you and your entire family. Best Regards, Attorney Adim Felix WilliamsTel: + 234803 562 1835.

_______________________________________________
No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.
Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam