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:
  • "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. )
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Wellington <welli@live.com>
Reply-To: kennysmith110@live.com
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 07:40:50 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Contact Fedex Immediately


Greetings!
I am Mr.Wellington.I have been waiting for you to contact me for your
Confirmable Bank Draft of $1000,000.00 United States Dollars, but I did
not
hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with
FedEx
Delivery, West Africa. I travelled out of the country for a 3Months
Course and
I will not come back till end of march. What you have to do now is to
contact
the FedEx Delivery as soon as possible to know when
they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date.
For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, 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 Delivery to deliver yourDraft direct
to your
postal Address in your country is ($185.00 US) Dollarsonly being
Security
Keeping
Fee of the Delivery Company so far. Again,don't be deceived by anybody
to pay any other money except $185.00USDollars.I would have paid that
but they
said no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case
of
dumurrage.You have to contact the FedEx Delivery now for the
delivery of your Draft with this information bellow:
Contact Person: Mr. Kenny Smith
Email Address: kennysmith110@live.com
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal
address() and Direct Telephone number 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 Security
Keeping fee of $185.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.
You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive your
Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Wellington

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam