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:
  • "million 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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • stevehenry01@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Steve Okon" <barrsteveokon01@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:52:29 -0700
Subject: URGENT


COULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER TO HELP ME TO RELOCATE THIS SUM OF FIFTEEN MILLION
DOLLARS(US$15,000.000.00) TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRY IN
YOUR COUNTRY.

THIS FUND WAS DEPOSITED IN OUR BANK BY MRS JOYCE LAKE AN AMERICA CITIZEN
WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH IN 2000.WE HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT HER FAMILY TO
COME FORWARD FOR CLAIMS BUT COULD NOT SUCCEED.WE DISCOVERED THAT THE LATE
AMERICAN DIED ALONG SIDE WITH HER HUSBAND AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO
BE HER NEXT OF KIN.

I WILL GIVE YOU ALL VITAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE DESEASED AND THE
$15,000.000.00 IN OUR CUSTODY SO THAT YOU WILL CONTACT MY BANK FOR THEM TO
RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DESEASED PERSON.YOU WILL
HAVE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE BANK WHILE I WILL GUILD YOU ON THE STEPS
TO FOLLOW TILL THE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU AS ONE OF THE BANK
DIRECTORS,I WILL PLAY A ROLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUND IS RELEASED TO YOU.

AS SOON AS I RECIEVE YOUR REPLY,I WILL GIVE YOU AN INSTRUCTION ON WHAT YOU
SHOULD DO.REPLY AND LET ME KNOW YOUR FULL NAME,AGE,ADDRESS,OCCUPATION,AND
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS.WE SHALL DISCUSS OUR INTEREST ON THE LOT AS WE
PROCEED.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.YOU CAN REPLY ME THROUGH THIS EMAIL(
stevehenry01@yahoo.com)

MR.STEVE HENRY.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam