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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "kingsley mobutu" <kingsleymobutu84@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:39:41 +0100
Subject: PLS I NEED YOUR HELP.


From:Kingsley Mobutu
Accra Ghana.

Greetings,

I am Kingsley Mobutu,and the only surviving child of late Mr Steven Mobutu
who traded in gold and diamond before his assassination during the Sierra
Leone civil war, my Father , mother, and two brothers were assassinated and
burnt beyond recognition by rebels after looting cash, diamonds and gold
from my family but somehow spared my life. Before contacting you,i have seek
the advice of few people around me in the refugee camp without leting them
know my plan.I was told that even if i send this email to you,you will not
beleive because of too much scam and other ways of deceiving people.Please
understand that this email is not to let you give me money or your bank
details but for you to help me in what i feel belongs to me.Please dont be
confused or have doubt about me and dont see me as bad person because I am
not. I am contacting

you in respect of the sum of $11,500.000.00 deposited by my late father in
a security company before he died money is part of money he realized from
the sales of diamonds and gold by him.I got your contact from the Ghana
chambers of commerce business executives directory and having been
convinced that you are capable of handling a transaction of this magnitude,I
decided to entrust you with this great task. My father did told me about
this deposit with this security company in Ghana before he died, and when
we came to Ghana after his death we found the security company and I
confirmed that the box containing

$11.5M was still in their safe custody. Due to my refugee statusam not
qualified to claim the deposit hence I have solicited for your help. Note
that my late father deposited the money with the security company as family
treasures for safe keeping so the security company is unaware that the
actual content is cash . What I require of you to do for me now is your
agreeing that I assign you as the new beneficiary ( With utmost HONESTY
assuring me that you will not betray me when the box is handed over to you
in your country.) by issuing you a power of attorney and making a change of
ownership which will authorize you to contact the security company and
inform them of your desire to retrieve the deposited consignment to be
shipped toyou in your country. I agree to give you 40% of the
11,500,000.00. Please treat this matter from utmost confidentiality.

Best Regards,

Kingsley Mobutu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam