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:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +447031998994 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: 101file6@comcast.net (TOYOTA UK PRESENT)
Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 14:30:58 +0000
Subject: YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED A TOYOTA CASH/CAR

TOYOTA (GB) PLS
PO BOX 814 PORTSMOUTH PO6 9AY
CVR-NR. 25554493
(http://www.toyota.com/prius)


This is to inform you that have been selected for a Cash prize £600,000.00. (six Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds)form the toyota lottery International programs held this MAY 19TH 2008 in London Uk.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact and provide your claims officer with the requested information as stated below:

Mr. David Polk.
Email:dpolk000@live.com
Phone Number:+44 703 199 8994
+44 703 192 1853

NAME: ________________________________________
OCUPATION_____________________________________
COUNTRY: _____________________________________
ADDRESS: _____________________________________
AGE:_________________________________________
STATE:________________________________________
PHONE: ________________________________________
MOBILE: ______________________________________
FAX: _________________________________________
EMAIL: _______________________________________

Regards,
Mr.Dafi Milly

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam