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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "mary steve" <marysteves@msn.com>
Reply-To: mother_fola02@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:58:59 +0000
Subject: Dear Beloved Friend,

Dear Beloved Friend,
Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail
Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead.

I am Mrs. Mary Steve from London. I am married to Dr. Victor Steve a
Nigerian who worked with a construction company in Asia for twenty Years
before he died in the tsunami disasters, we were married but without Any
children.
Since his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 61. When
my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of 6 million dollars (Six
Million Dollars) with a Security Company in Conjunction with JP Morgan Chase
USA.
Presently this money is still with the Security Company and the management
just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or
rather Issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my
behalf if I cannot come over.
I am presently in a Havanna hospital where I have been undergoing treatment
Cancer of the lungs in a hospital, I have since lost my ability to talk and
my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to Live.

I want a person that is trustworthy that will utilize 90% of this money
to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world but in my name
“Mrs. Mary Steve”

I am afraid sine so many things are happening in the world now, Like:
Hurricanes, Earthquakes and these bird flu problem, I just want you to
be opened minded and help me so that my funds can make a grate change in the
affected peoples lives.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will
prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein and
Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your
Custody, this is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth.

I await your urgent reply.
Regards,
Mother Mary Steve.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam