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)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Mariam Benson" <uuu19473@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: babawilliams1@voila.fr
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:54:36 -0700
Subject: COMPENSATION/Mariam Benson.


*Dear Friend,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this
mail meets you in a perfect condition. I am using this opportunity to thank
you for your great effort to our unfinished transfer of fund into your
account due to one reason or the other best known to you. But I want to
inform you that I have successfully transferred the Cheque out of the
company to someone else who was capable of assisting me in this great
venture . Due to your effort,sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you
showed at the course of the transaction the organisation wants to compensate
you and show their gratitude to you with the sum of $350,000.00
(ThreeHundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars) I have authorized
the finance house where I deposited your money to issue you an international
certified bank draft cashable at your bank.

My dear friend I will like you to contact the finance house for the
collection of this international certified bank draft. The name and contact
address of the Person with your Cheque Baba Williams is as follows.

COMPENSATION AND FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE.
CONTACT AGENT: Baba Williams.
EMAIL: **babawilliams1@voila.fr* <babawilliams1@voila.fr>*
*

*At the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects which
myself and my new partner are having at hand. Finally, remember that I have
forwarded instruction to the finance house on your behalf to send the bank
draft to you as soon as you contact them without delay. Please I will like
you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my
heart. Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hope to hear from you
soon. My sincere advice to you as a christian is that you should endeavour
to pay your tithe to a bible believing church when you get the prize. *

*Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Mariam Benson.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam