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:
  • ",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)
  • "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Ted Lawrence" <telawrence215@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:07:52 -0700
Subject: Can I trust You? Reply Needed.


--
Greetings,
I apologize if the contents hereunder are contrary to your moral ethics. But
please treat with absolute secrecy and personal. I discovered a dormant
account in my office, as Assistant Managing Director Turkish Bank (UK) Ltd
London, It will be in my interest to transfer this fund worth £150,000,000
million in an account offshore. The bank will approve this money to any
foreigner because the former operator of the a/c is a foreigner Late
Mohammed Yousef Al-Qaradawi from Iraq . I am involving you to authenticate
this claim and transfer the fund to your designated bank account.
You will keep 30% percent interest of the total Fund.
Your contact phone numbers and name will be necessary for this effect. Upon
the receipt of your reply, I will send to you detailed information about the
transaction.
Regards and respect,
Mr Ted Lawrence

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam