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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • himmahama@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Imjo Martins" <ibrazzi7@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: himmahama@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 10:59:42 +0000
Subject: YOU HAVE TO READ THIS AND WRITE ME BACK


BARRISTER RICHARD IMJO MARTINS.
SUPREME CHAMBERS.
34, NEW TOWN
ACCRA GHANA

Hello,

This letter is not intended to cause any embarrassment in whatever form,
rather it is intended to contact your esteemed self, following the knowledge
of your
high repute and trust worthiness. Firstly, I must solicit your
confidentiality. I know that a proposal of this magnitude will make anyone
apprehensive and
worried, but I am assuring you that it is made in good faith and will be of
mutual benefit.I am Barr.Richard Imjo Martins, Esq, the personal attorney to
MR. JOHN , who is a citizen of your country herein after referred to as my
client, who used to work with OTUR OIL COMPANY here in GHANA. My client and
his family were involved in a plane crash that took place near the border
between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and Rwanda.

For more details of the plain crash Please Click and view the Link below to
read news of the incident.
http://english.cri.cn/2947/2008/04/16/176@346479.htm

I have since made several inquiries to your Embassy, in a bid to locate any
relation of my client, and these efforts of mine have not been productive.
This is why I have contacted you to assist me in securing the money and
property left behind by my client before they are declared as unclaimed by
the bank where they have been lodged for safekeeping in London UK.
Particularly I am interested in securing the funds lodged with a Finance
Firm,The sum of USD 18M Dollars.This is because the said Bank has issued a
notice to me, unequivocally instructing me to produce the Next of Kin /
Beneficiary to the said account, or have the account confiscated.
Considering my lack of success in my bid to locate his relatives,I solicit
your consent to enable me produce you as the Next of Kin to my deceased
client, since you both bear the same last name.The funds will then be
transferred to you as the beneficiary and shared according to a proposed
sharing pattern /ratio of 60:40 i.e. 60% for me and 40% for you.

I shall further provide the necessary, legally obtained documents to back up
any claim we make regarding this process, and will just require your
understanding/ cooperation to enable us achieve our goal successfully
within a legitimate arrangement, laminating any liability resulting from any
breach of the prevalent laws.

Your urgent response will be highly appreciated. kindly respond immediately
himmahama@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Barr. Richard Imjo Martins (Esq)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam