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)
  • "30% for you " (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.
• 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.
  • x_wang098@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Wang Xuemin" <x_wang_02@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:33:59 -0300
Subject: GOOD DAY!!!



Dear Friend,

My name is Mr. Wang Xuemin, I work with BANK OF CHINA, Hong Kong, have a
Business Proposal for you.
Our late client named Mr. Hamadi Hashem made a fixed deposit amount of
US$17.3m he did not declare
any next of kin in any of his paper work, I want you as a foreigner to stand
as the beneficiary to transfer
this funds out of my bank into your account, after the successful transfer,
we shall share in the ratio of
30% for you and 70% for me.

All I need from you is your readiness, trustworthiness and dedication. I
need to know if you will be able to
handle this with me before I explain to you in details. Should you be
interested please
send me the required information below;

(1) Full Names

2) Current Residential Address

(3) Telephone number

I will want you to reach me on my private e-mail :(x_wang098@yahoo.com.hk).
Finally after that I shall
provide you with more information.

Regards,
Mr. Wang Xuemin

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam