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:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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!
• 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.
  • cynthiafergusondept@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: <gregsmith001100@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: cynthiafergusondept@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 05:07:24 -0600
Subject: Congratulations........you are a Winner!!!



Free Lottery Sweepstakes
PO Box 42 Peterborough
SE15 2UD
UNITED KINGDOM
Ref No: MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch No: 56475600545 188
Zonal Draw No: 5368/05
Grand Draw No: 29

Dear Winner,
This mail is to bring to your notice that your email emerged as one of
Our winning email address in The Free Lottery sweepstakes that made
You automatically a winner of the sum of £500.000.00(G.B.P) which is
Equivalent to ($917,956.00 USD).In other to claim your won prize
from the lottery board you are required to fill out the claims Processing form
and send it to our claims officer here in the UK with the details
below: Name Of Claims Officer: Cynthia Ferguson
Email address: cynthiafergusondept@hotmail.com
Below is the claims form you are required to fill:
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM
1. 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____________________________________
Note that you are automatically disqualified if you are below 18 years
Of age and illegal dissemination of this mail is highly prohibited.

Sincerely,
Greg Smith
On line Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam