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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a "dying merchant" scam.
• 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.
  • pauledward23@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Paul Edward" <paul_edward@klikni.cz>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 14:06:57 +0100
Subject: CRY FOR HELP.


Dear Friend,


My name is Paul Edward, a business merchant in Dubai , in the United Arab
Emirate. I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer which was discovered
very late, due to my laxity in carrying for my health. I have decided to
give arms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last
good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity
organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any more. I once asked
members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money
which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan ; they
refused and kept the money to themselves.

Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with
what I have left for them. The last of my money which no one knows of is the

sum of US$6.5 Million which i deposited in a finance firm in Europe.

I will want you to help me in collecting the money and dispatch it to
charity organizations/ areas affected with tsunami and hurricane. I will
liketo have your telephone and fax numbers.Please Reply To This Email
Address : (pauledward23@yahoo.com)

God bless you.


Mr. Paul Edward.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam