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)
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. PAUL STEVE" <kelvin2@tomorrowthen.com>
Reply-To: mrpaulsteveplc2006@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:44:49 +0000
Subject: PLEASE READ AND REPLY FAST




FROM: MR. PAUL STEVE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; PRUDENTIAL Insurance.

My Dear Friend,

Compliment of the season to you. This letter might come to you as a surprise because we have not met neither in person nor by correspondence. It is with trust and confidence that I write to reveal this business proposal to you. I am MR. PAUL STEVE Executive Director in charge of Claims and Indemnity of PRUDENTIAL Insurance Company. I am contacting you based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this deal for the benefit of both of us.

The Management and the Legal / Treasury Department of this PRUDENTIAL Insurance Company in a recent meeting, recommended that the Assurance Contract of MR. CHRISTIAN EICH, who maintained a Life Assurance Policy, should be declared Dormant and confisticated hence moving his unclaimed benefits funds to the Treasury. Recently, I came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased person (MR. CHRISTIAN EICH). He is foreigner, unfortunately He is now late as he was amongst those that died in the recent plane crash, as you can confirm through this website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

This man was our client and has a Life Assurance Policy WORTH the sum of Forty Five Million United States Dollars (US$35,000,000.00). Right now, the fund is lying unclaimed in our custody and there is NO next of kin mentioned in his file and there is NO HOW we can reach any of his other relatives. All efforts made by us to establish contacts with any other of his relation has proved abortive and unsuccessful. His Life Assurance Policy will expire in the next few months from the date of this letter. Just last week we received an instruction from Ministry of Social Welfare to forward particulars of all unclaimed benefits that will expire in the next few months.

Upon my personal finding on this matter, I kept this information secret to myself until now that I am contacting you. In view of the fact that the deceased customer is a foreigner (from a different country), it is Officially important for the involvement of a foreigner who will pose as a next-of-kin. I will use my exalted position in this Insurance Company to present you as his Next of Kin as you can be his relative, friend or Cousin and the Money (US$35Million) will be Safely transfered into your own bank account in your country. Please include your telephone/fax number/ Home Address when replying this mail and I will give you more information as soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this viable transaction.I will use my exalted position here to get all internal documentations to back up the claims. The whole Procedures will last only 5 working days to get the fund retrieved successfully Without
trace even in future. Please I need the following:
1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. HOME ADDRESS/COMPANY'S NAME AND ADDRESS.
4. YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION

The transaction will be done successfully and smoothly completed via email and telephone. You don't need to come to my country. Send your full name, address and telephone number to me via email urgently today so that I will call you for discussions. I PROMISE that you must be happy and shall rejoice greatly soonest for cooperation with me in this transaction. After successful conclusion of this transaction, we
shall share the money 50-50 (50% for you and 50% for me).

I await your good response today. Thanks and remain blessed. I require you to maintain the confidentiality of this transaction because it is
important due to the fact that I am still in active services to the PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY. Your earliest response to this matter is
very important.

I AM WAITING YOUR REPLY TODAY.

Kind Regards,

MR. PAUL STEVE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; PRUDENTIAL Insurance.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam