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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "national lottery promotion" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "payments processing" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
  • "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • innterlloto@aim.com
  • vinsa01@aol.com

Fraud email example:

From: DON NICO EVRA VICE PRESIDENT <eurolloto@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:52:25 +0100
Subject: AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION


EUROMILLION LOTTO COMMISION
Avd Juan Real 25 C.P 28002Madrid Spain =
=

TEL/FAX: 0034:634-034-424
Email: innterlloto@aim.com
FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT. =

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRICE AWARD =

Ref: No: TNY/137/525/08 Batch no: 07-3663 =

LOTTO AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you today the 09TH day of February, 2009 the =
results of the EUROMILLONES INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTIONS PROGRAMME held =
on Friday the 02ND of January 2009 as part of our 2009 winter bonanza. Your =
email is attached to Ticket no: 357-01467446-224, Ref no: TNY/137/525/08, =
Batch no: 07-3663, Winning no: 02-07-14-25-44+02-04, PRIZE CLAIM TRACK No: =
X-8007891324-Z which consequently won the lottery on the 3rd category. =
CONGRATULATIONS!!
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of =80615,810.00 (SIX =
HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS) in cash credited =
to file REF.NO: TNY/137/525/08
. This is from a total cash prize of =8010,468,770 (TEN MILLION, FOUR =
HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EUROS) shared =
among the 17 (Seventeen) International lucky winners in this category.
Your fund is now deposited with an accredited finance company insured in your =
name. Therefore no deduction whatsoever is permitted to be made from your =
fund. You are expected to report to the board if this is breached. In your =
best interest, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your =
claim has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated account, =
as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or =
unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants. All =
participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from =
520,000 names from Asia, Europe, Australia ,Africa, North and South =
America .
To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, REV. VENCENT SANCHEZ. =
Foreign Operations Manager, VINSA SECURITY COMPANY S.A on Tel: 00 34 692 538 =
829 FAX: 00 34 911-814-298 or Email: vinsa01@aol.com for processing and =
remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. =
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 10TH MAR 2009. =
After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y =
HACIENDA as unclaimed. And also be informed that 5% of your lottery wining =
belongs to VINSA SECURITY COMPANY S.A, because they entered your name for =
this draw and they are your claims agent. This 5% will be remitted after you =
have received your winning fund into your account, because the fund is =
insured in your name already.
NOTE: The beneficiary is responsible for the clearance/remittance charge of =
his fund to his/her country. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and =
complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in =
every of your correspondence with us or your agent . Furthermore, should =
there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as =
possible. Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you =
for being a part of our promotion program. Attached is a payment processing =
form to be completed and returned to your agent by Email: vinsa01@aol.com or =
FAX: 00 34- 911 -814-298
Sincerely, DON NICO EVRA VICE PRESIDENT
(PRIZE CLAIM TICKET No: X-8007891324-Z) =
=
=


LOTTO PAYMENTS PROCESSING FORM
(COMPLETE THIS FORM AND MAIL TO vinsa01@aol.com FOR PROCESSING.
REF NO: _____________BACH NO_________FULL NAME: ______________
TELEPHONE NUMBER: _________FAX________AND EMAIL____________
OCCUPATION: ___________AGE:____ ______SEX:____ NATIONALITY____
ADDRESS: ___________COUNTRY__________STATE________ ZIP CODE__________
SELECT YOU'RE PAYMENT MODE (BANK TRANSFER) _____ (CHEQUE) ________
BANK NAME: _______ACCOUNT No: ______IF YOU NEED BANK TRANSFER
ADDRESS: _____COUNTRY_____STATE______ ZIP CODE_____FOR CHEQUE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam