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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • peters_cully@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "peter john" <servicecontrol1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:55:23 +0100
Subject: I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU.


Equatorial Trust Bank.
From the Desk Of: Mr Peters Cully
.
Private Email: peters_cully@hotmail.com

Dear Friend,

I am Mr Peters Cully,
A Banker with Equatorial Trust Bank ,here in Nigeria.I am the account
officer to Engr.Mark from your country, who used to work with Shell Oil
Development Company in Nigeria. Here in after shall be referred to as my
client on April 21st, 2003, my client, his wife, and their two children were
involved in a car accident along Lagos/Ibadan express
way.All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several inquiries to my clients country's embassy to
locate any of his extended relatives, this has also proved
unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I have contacted you
to assist in repatriating the money before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by where this huge deposit were lodged.
Particularly,Equatorial Trust Bank where the deceased had an account valued
at about US$3.7 Million has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin
or have the account confiscated within the 6 weeks.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 5 years
now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased
so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$ 3.7 Million can be paid
to you and then you and I can share the money. 60% to me, 40% to you.'

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal
through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in
touch with me immediately as I do not have much time in my disposal.

Please enclose your private telephone number for easy communication and use
my private email address for contact.

Best Regards
Mr Peters Cully

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam