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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "million united states 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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (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!
• 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.
  • +2348059495186 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • fcs_dept@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "SHELL PETROLEUM INTERNATIONAL PROMO (NIGERIA)" <robinsonbriggs_shellmanager@live.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:00:02 -0800
Subject: Greetings!

SHELL PETROLEUM INTERNATIONAL PROMO (NIGERIA)
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER.
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
email: robinsonbriggs_shellmanager@live.com
REF NUMBER: 73284-294-1093
BATCH NO: MELPUK-0385-SHI

Greetings!

Your Cheque of $1 Million United States Dollars from THE
SHELL
PETROLEUM INTERNATIONAL PROMO with the following REF NUMBER
:73284-294-1093, BATCH NO:MELPUK-0385-SHI AND SERIAL
NUMBER:211-358, has long been sent to the FedEx delivery
company West Africa for delivery.

THE PROMO CO-ORDIANATOR authorised me to displace your
cheque to you before i went on study leave. Then I went and
deposited the cheque with FedEx COURIER SERVICE NIGERIA,
West Africa for immediate delivery,What you have to do now
is to contact the FedEx COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible
to know when they will deliver your package to you because
of the expiring date. For your information,THE SHELL
PETROLEUM COMPANY has paid for the delivering Charges,
Insurance premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the
Cheque showing that it is not a Drug Money or meant to
sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.

The only money you will send to the FedEx COURIER SERVICE to
deliver
your cheque direct to your postal Address in your country is
($275.00
USD) only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company
so far. Again, do not be deceived by anybody to pay any
other money except $275.00US Dollars.

The company would have paid that but they said no because
they do not know when you will contact them and in case of
demurrage.You have to contact the FedEx COURIER SERVICE now
for the delivery of your cheque with your Reference and
Batch Numbers.

Contact Person: Mr. Ahmed Onah
Dispatched Director.
Email Address: fcs_dept@yahoo.com.hk
Telephone: :+(234) 805-949-5186.

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your
FULL NAMES:__________
ADDRESS______________
OCCUPATION___________
SEX__________________
BATCH NUBMER_________
REF NUMBER___________
DIRECT TEL___________

Do send it to them again to avoid any mistake on the
Delivery and ask
them to give you the tracking number to enable you track
your
package over there and know when it will get to your
address. Let me
repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive
this mail
to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their
FEE of
$275.00 US Dollars for their immediate action. You should
also let me know through email as soon as you receive your
Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Robinson Briggs
The Promotions Manager,
Shell petroleum Int. promo.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam