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:
  • "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. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22998717622 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:23:27 +0100
Subject: DEAREST FRIEND,


DEAREST FRIEND,


I AM=C2=A0 DR.WILLIAMS DOGLAS. AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO INFORM YOU
ABOUT MY SUCCESS IN GETTING THOSE FUND TRANSFERED WITH THE
HELP OF ANOTHER PARTNER FROM CUBA. NOW I WANT YOU TO CONTACT
MY SECRETERY ON THE INFORMATION BELOW AND RECEIVE YOUR
COMPENSATION OF 950.000USD NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTYTHOUSAND UNITED STATE=C2=
=A0 DOLLARS FROM HIM:

NAME....: SEN.FRANK MBA
EMAIL..... senfrank2002@live.fr
TEL.+229 98717622

SEND HIM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO PROVE YOURSELF TO HIM:
YOUR FULL NAME;...............................
YOUR ADDRESS:.................................
YOUR COUNTRY:................................
YOUR AGE:.........................................
YOUR OCCUPATION:..................................
YOUR PHONE NUMBER:.............................

NOTE THAT IF YOU DID NOT SEND HIM THE ABOVE INFORMATION
COMPLETE, HE WILL NOT RELEASE THE CHEQUE TO YOU BECAUSE HE
HAS TO BE SURE THAT IT IS YOU.ASK HIM TO SEND YOU THE TOTAL
SUM OF 950.000 NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND US DOLLARS
CASHIER'S CHEQUE, WHICH I KEPT FOR YOU.
NOTE ALSO THAT I WILL NOT BE REACHED BY EMAIL OR PHONE FOR
NOW BECAUSE I AM CURRENTLY AWAY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE WITh=20
MY SHARE AND I WILL BE BUSY TILL ABOUT SIX MONTHS TIME
OR A YEAR.=20
REGARDS
DR.WILLIAMS DOGLAS.
GOD BLESSING

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam