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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Hilda Okoro" <hilda_okoro01@mighty.co.za> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 10:52:34 +0000
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME.

Dear friend,
How are you doing today?

My name is Hilda okoro,24yrs and I am the daughter to
the former minister of Finance. My dad died
since 2months ago in a ghastly plane crash on his way back
from lagos,and since then life has not been easy for me
and my family anyway I thank God that I am alive today.

Since the death of my dad things have not been easy
with us.Though my dad died leaving a huge amount of
funds and the government has refused to release this
money because the money has been deposited with a
security company abroad.I and my family have gone
through hell even my dads brothers could not help
us and the only given option now for us is to have
a reliable foreigner that can assist us withhis/her
foreign account so that the funds can be transferred
into his or her account.After this has been done my family
and I are willing to offer 25% of the funds to anyone that
can assist us to claim our money. My mum has been so ill
and things are not really going well with us here.
I decided to contact you because I knew God was going to
use you to assist me and my family from our present predicament.
As soon as we have been able to collect this money I and my
family will be coming overseas so we can start up a
new life and invest in a profitable business venture
I will be glad if you can assist us.As I write this
I write in tears and pains,I appeal to you to assist
me so that the funds can be transfered.

I will give you more details as soon as i hear from
you.I want you to know that I have been directed by the
spirit to send this to you.May the lord bless you
richly as you assist my family and I in regaining our
lost life back as this is my mum's only wish
right now.

Best regards,

Hilda okoro.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam