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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "certified bank draft" (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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • alertsecurity.financehouse01@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: alertsecurity.financehouse01@gmail.com
Date: 14 Nov 2008 15:43:50 -0000
Subject: My Dear Friend,


My Dear Friend,

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund
transferred to a Swiss Account with the cooperation of a new partner from
Paraguay who is aninternational business man.Due to your effort,
sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you showed, I want to compensate
you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $550,000usd (Five Hundred
and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars)I have authorized the Finance
House where I deposited the money to issue you international certified
bankdraftcashable at your bank.

Presently I'm in west africa for investment projects with my own share of
the total sum. Meanwhile, I did not forget your past efforts and attempts
to assist me in transferring those funds despite the fact that it failed
us some how.

My dear friend, I will like you to contact the CEO in charge of the
finance house for the collection of thisinternational certified bank
draft.The name of the person with your Check is Barrister Cole

ALERT SECURITY FINANCE HOUSE
CONTACT AGENT: Barrister Cole
EMAIL: alertsecurity.financehouse01@gmail.com

Ask him to send to you the total $550,000usd (Five Hundred and Fifty
Thousand United States Dollars) which I kept for your compensation for all
the past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter.I appreciated
your efforts at that time very much, so feel free and get in touch with
arrister Cole and instruct him where to send the Bank Draft to.Please do
et me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy after
all the suffering at that time.

At the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects
which I and the new partner are having at hand.Remember that I had
forwarded instruction to him on your behalf to receive the bank draft, so
get in touch with him and he will send the bank draft to you without
delay.I will also advised to provide him with the under listed information
as soon as possible:

1. Name in full.
2. Address.
3.Nationality.
4. Age.
5. Occupation.
6.Phone/Fax.
7. Present Country.
8. Email address.
9. Sex.

Thanks and God bless you and your family.

Hope to hear from you soon.Finally, my sincere advice to you as a
christian is that you should endeavour to pay your tithe to a bible
believing church when you get the money.

Best Regards.
Mary Grant

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam