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:
  • "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 us 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "augustus watara" <augustus_watara5@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: augustuswatara@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 14:49:13 +0200
Subject: URGENT RESPOND


From Mr.Augustus Watara
Auditing/Accounting Section
Groupe Bank Of Africa (BOA)
Ouagadoiugou,Burkina Faso.

My dear, I am contacting you in regards to a business transaction of a
huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction
of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am
assuring you that all will be well at the end of the transaction.
Meanwhile,I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

PROPOSITION; I discovered an abandant sum of $18 Million US Dollars in an
account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his
entire family in a plane crash. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or
relations has come forward to lay claims to his account (fund) with this
bank (boa).

This fund cannot be releaseed from his account unless someone applies for
claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines. Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you
stand as a next of kin to the deceased person, and all information
concerning the decaesed person and the fund will be giving to you by me as
an insider of the bank. All documentations involved concerning the deceased
will be carefully worked out by me for the fund to be released in your
favour as the next of kin and beneficiary of the fund.

It may interest you to note that I have secured from the probate an order
of madamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries. Acknowledge the
receipt of this message in acceptance of my mutual business proposal because
it will bring more financial increase in our life.

On your acceptance I will send to you an application letter you re-send
to the appropriate departments of the bank for necessary approvals in your
favour before the transfer will be processed. I shall be compensating you
with 30% of the fund while 60% will be for me and 10% will be set aside for
the expencies that might incure during the transaction . And I will also let
you know that while your share stays with you,mine shall be for investment
purposes in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take
undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you.

Im waiting for your urgent respond.

Your;s faithfully,
Mr.Augustus Watara

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam