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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: john.arthur006 <john.arthur006@gmail.com>
Reply-To: johnarthur4u@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:23:35 +0000
Subject: hello


GOOD DAY

I got your mail address from the Foreign Department in our Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Office so I decided to contact you. I know that this mail
will come to you as a surprise but I will like you to take this as one of
the things people over come on this earth. And I know that it is God that
led me to get your contact so that you will be of help to me. Before I will
go on let me introduce my self to you so that you will be able to know me
well.
I am Prince Adams the son of the late president of Togo but now resident in
Ghana I am writing you this mail in regard of my consignment that has spent
six working days in Europe storage room at the airport.
(35.5million US dollars). Presently I have no beneficiary to receive this
consignment from the diplomat. Because the person that support to received
my consignment my late beneficiary to the consignment who was to clear the
safe box for me got stroke and was confirm dead last night please i will
want you to stand as my new beneficiary to received the consignment. Arrive
your country, and I don't want the diplomat to come back to Africa with the
boxes, am contacting you because you bear the same LAST NAME with my former
beneficiary, please I urge you to come forward since I can provide you with
the details needed for you to claim my boxes from the diplomat,
Please kindly help me to receive my consignment from the diplomat, I promise
to offer you 30% from the total fund and 10% for expensives incure during
the transaction, To affirm your willingness and cooperation please do so by
replying me and .
I want you to send your information to me immediately.
(1) Your Full Name: __________
(2) Your Complete Address (Physical Address with Zip Code not
P.O.BOX) : ______________________________
(3) Name of City of Residence:_____________
(4) Country:______________________________
(5) Working Identity Card/Passport.............
(6) Age/Marital Statue......
(7) Direct Telephone Number:
Please, consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you so much.
With Sincerely
John Arthur

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam