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:
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2289269174 (Togo, 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.
  • mathinskoko25@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mathinskoko0 Gazeta.pl" <mathinskoko0@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 16:23:52 +0200
Subject: An Urgent Private Mail To You.


MATHINS CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATES.
SOLICITORS, ADVOCATES TRADE MARK AGENTS.
RUE ST LOUIS 1425 BP,
LOME TOGO;
alternative email address:(mathinskoko25@yahoo.co.uk)

ATTENTION FRIEND:

RE TWELVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND United Sates Dollars
(US$12.500.000.00)
First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue
of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. Though I know
that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and
worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.
There is no doubt that trust conceptually is a conundrum which leads itself
to deferring interpretation, I have decided to contact you due to the
urgency of this transaction.

Bearing in mind the nature of the content of this letter coming from a
person without any referral, I apologize for any inconvenience, but please
read and objectively consider if we can work together. Do know that this
claim will not be like the one you thought of and not a kind of someone
impersonating nor junk mail which will be done accordingly.

My Name is Mr Mathins Koko. I am a Legal representative, an Attorney and
private account manager to my late client in the Year 26th December 2003 in
a plane crash, my client by name is Mr. Ambrovic who passed away, leaving
behind a cash inheritance of Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United
Sates Dollars ($12,500,000,00).

My late client and bosom friend grew up in a Motherless Babies Home. He had
no family, no beneficiary nor next of kin to the inheritance amount left
behind in a commercial bank.

The Financial law of inheritance clearly allows for the deceased Bank to use
deceased money as deemed fit, should the inheritance money be left unclaimed
for a period of Four Years after the death of the account owner.

The reason that you have been contacted now is because I want to present you
as the beneficiary and next of kin to late Mr. Ambrovic.

The Inheritance Law clearly leaves the bonus of proof of who is or is not
the next of kin, to the deceased Lawyer to prove. As the deceased Lawyer,
the Law says l have the final say of who is the beneficiary of the deceased
estate. This is 100% percent legal. As a lawyer I know this.

If you are interested in this proposition and you are ready to keep this
proposition in absolute confidentiality and trust, then contact me at once,
and we can work out the details, and the issue of your compensation. You can
call me or you reach me with this email address, mathinskoko25@yahoo.co.uk

I have informations of proof to this.

Regards,

Mr Mathins Koko,
+228 9269174.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam