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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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 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.
  • +447023055070 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • gfclaimagent11@excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: "ALICE DOBSON" <agenttwinnigclaimmss@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 02:38:11 +0000
Subject: LOTTERY WINNING NOTFICATION(CONTACT OUR FIDUCIARY AGENT)

 FROM:MRS.ALICE DOBSON
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY.
RAFFLE DRAWS PROMOTIONS 2006
REFERENCE:/DHK110/
BATCH:/NBH12/
LUCKY NUMBER: 09,21,23,31,40,46
 
Dear Winner,
 
We are delighted to inform you of the result of Email Lottery  Promotion, Which is part of our promotional draws. Held on the 2nd January 2006 and that you were one the LUCKY WINNERS and your e-mail address attached to Lucky-numbers 09, 21, 23, 31, 40, 46 and Serial-number 13-1003 which consequently won in the Match 5 and 2 Stars ,you have therefore been approved  for a lump sum payout of £2,500,000(TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND  GREAT BRITIAN POUNDS) .
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!     CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
 
Please be informed that all participants were selected through a  computer ballot system drawn from over 30,000,000 company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary Agent who will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you possible to you.
 
TO FILE YOUR CLAIM,
 
MR.PAUL WOOLDRIDGE
FINANCE MANAGER
GENERAL FINANCE CENTER
TOP FLOOR,CROWN COURT
6B THE SQUARE,WIMBORNE
BH211JA, UNITED KINGDOM
TEL:+44-702-305-5070,+44-703-194-9583
FAX:+44-703-040-3637
EMAIL:gfclaimagent11@excite.com
 
Please do remember,all winning must be claimed not later than two  weeks of  this notification. After this time all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.
 
Note:Remember to quote your Reference, Batch, and Wining Number, in every one of your correspondence to our fiduciary Agent.
 
FOR SECURITY REASONS, YOU ARE ADVISED TO KEEP YOUR WINNING INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL TILL YOUR CLAIMS IS PROCESSED AND YOUR MONEY REMITTED TO YOU .THIS IS PART OF OUR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMING AND UNWARRANTED ABUSE OF THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE BE WARNED.
 
Yours Sincerely,
MRS.ALICE DOBSON
ONLINE COORDINATOR,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam