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.
• 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • mcgregory_stategov@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • clearance_stategov@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: US DEPARTMENT OF STATE <dv_result4@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 03:18:59 +0000
Subject: Congratulations on your success in the AMERICAN DV-2008 VISA
LOTTERY PROGRAM



DV LOTTERY.STATE.GOV
Kentucky Consular Center
1001 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41901-1000
http://www.dvlottery.state.gov

Dear Winner,


It's my pleasure to congratulate you on your success in the AMERICAN DV-2008 VISA LOTTERY PROGRAM which was applied and processed by our agency. You were selected as one of the lucky winners on our internet screening machine, for the DV-2008 USA national visa lottery program. Your visa lottery winner's identity is ID-6200DV and your serial net visa passport with us is SNVPh700IU.In this respect, you are directed to forward the following requirements:

l. Your present contact address (for correspondence)
2. Your recent passport photograph.
3 REGULARMAIL.

You can also send your photo(s) by regular mail. The photo must be between 1 1 by 1 1 and 2 by 2 inches (37-50 mm) square, with the applicant’s, spouse’s, or child's name printed on the back. Please mail the photos to:

Immigration Services:
PA/PL, Rm. 3206
U.S. Department of State
Kentucky Consular Center
1001 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41901-1000

Or preferably, you can scan them and send via email for faster processing. Clearance /acceptance fees is($989.67)

DETAILS OF THE REQIUREMENTS:

Your present contact address should be forwarded strictly to our receiving correspondent Mr.mcgregory Castillo through his email address (mcgregory_stategov@yahoo.com). We accept Western Union Money Transfer/Money Gram as the ONLY payment method due to some reasons from our past experiences. (Credit card is not acceptable, please.)For information on how to send across the fees, please contact the Clearance Officer Mr. Donald O’Neal through his email (clearance_stategov@yahoo.com).Your payment confirmation shall be sent to you as soon as clarification is done on your payment.

Providing the above requirements will assure you of getting your Visa Lottery Acknowledgement Card and Visa lottery Security Code which we shall send to your email address.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please make sure you report and forward your Visa lottery Code and Acknowledgement Card to the USA embassy in your individual country for your Green Card and other necessary claims. According to the United States of America's Code of Conduct and Constitution Vol.176/866:Act 690SN guiding all immigration, and Green Card permit Agencies, Non-Response,14 days after you receive this message to your winner's status shall reveal "No interest" and we would in return, refer your lottery code and acknowledgement card back to the USA Government/Immigration Service Center.

We shall be anticipating your reply soon.

CONGRATULATIONS ONCE MORE.


Mrs. Cynthia Brown,
Co-coordinator.


KELVIN POWELL
Executive Director.


_________________________________________________________________
Live Earth is coming.  Learn more about the hottest summer event - only on MSN.
http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthwlm

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam