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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
• 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.
  • +447024067260 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "abbey johnson" <chamberlife908@mailbox.hu>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 05:15:04 -0700
Subject: REPLY URGENTLY


>From Dr Johnson Abbey,
Commissioner for Life & Pention,
13 Bolney Street, London, E11 5TY, United Kingdom,
Phone : +447024067260

Dear Friend,
I am Dr Johnson Abbey a commisioner for life and pension here in London SW
local Goverment.
I am contacting you hence to transfer $12.8m into your account in your
country.This is an over extimated money made through Awarded Contracts.The
only way by which I can claim this amount is to present a foreign partner as
the legal beneficiary/owner of the fund.Hence to transfer the fund to his
account. I am about to be retired and for that reason,Government may
confisicate the fund.
Once you agree with this transaction,the $12.8m dollars will be paid to you
and then you and I can share the money.60% to me and 40% to you.
We shall secure all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back
up any claim we may make.
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
business through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.Please get in touch with me by
my email to enable us discuss further.
Best regards,
COMM. LIFE $ PENSSION.
DR. JOHNSON ABBEY.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam