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)
  • "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. )
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +22993904605 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • fedexccltd3@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "peter john" <peter.john48@ig.com.br>
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 03:36:32 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER FOR THE FINAL DELIVERY OF YOUR FUND


Dear Friend,

Greetings!
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft worth of (usd $850.000)EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATE
DOLLARS which my boss left with me before he travelled out,but I did not
hear from you since that time. Then becaus of the expiration I cashed the
money with the help of a friend who is a bank manager and deposited it as a
BOX containing African clothes with FEDEX COURIER AND SECURITY SERVICE
COMPANY PLC, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

What you have to do now is to contact FEDEX COURIER AND SECURITY SERVICE
COMPANY PLC, as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package
to you. For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge and
Clearance Certificate Fee of the package.

The only money you will send to the Courier & Security Company to deliver
your package direct to your postal Address in your country is ($95.00US)
NINETY FIVE UNITED STATE DOLLARS ONLY, being Security Keeping Fee of the
Courier Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other
money except 95.00 US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no
because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.


You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER AND SECURITY SERVICE COMPANY PLC,now
for the delivery of your package with this information bellow;

Contact Person:.. REV.DR.JOSEPH DIKE.
Email Addresses:... fedexccltd3@yahoo.fr
PHONE NO.........+229 93 904605

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the following infomation to them again
to avoid any mistake on the Delivery.
The infomations are;

1.YOUR FULL NAME;
2.YOUR AGE;
3.HOUSE/OFFICE ADDRESS
4.HOUSE / OFFICE PHONE NOS
5.A COPY OF YOUR PICT FOR IDDENTIFICATION

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 only the Security Keeping
fee of $95.00US Dollars for their immediate action.Do let me know
immediately you recieves your package.

Yours Faithfully,
MR. Goowin Collins.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam