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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • b_spiffresponse@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ben spiff" <onmyserviceline2006@msn.com>
Reply-To: b_spiffresponse@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 11:28:32 +0000
Subject: request for assistance


NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
26 FALOMO IKOYI, LAGOS
HON. DR BEN SPIFF
B,sc. (UNN) MNIM: MCIA
MANAGER 11, BUDGET AND PLANNING
NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC).
PLS REPLY VIA MY PRIVATE EMAIL:b_spiffresponse@yahoo.com
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
MY GOOD FRIEND,
I AM SENDING THIS MAIL TO YOU BASED ON INFORMATION I
GATHERED THROUGH MY PERSONAL RESEARCH.I MUST APOLOGISE
FOR USING THIS MEDIUM TO REACH YOU FOR A BUSINESS THAT
IS AS BIG AS THIS.PLEASE PARDON MY MEANS OF CONTACTING
YOU. I BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO HELP
US( I AND OTHER MEMBERS OF MY COMMITTEE) IN OUR BID TO
TRANSFER THE SUM OF TWENTY-ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($21.5M USD) INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR BUDGET AND
PLANNING OF THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM, THIS COMMITTEE IS
PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH CONTRACT APPRAISALS AND APPROVAL
OF CONTRACTS IN ORDER OF PRIORITIES AS REGARDS CAPITAL
PROJECT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. WITH
OUR POSITIONS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SECURED FOR OURSELVES
THE SUM OF TWENTY-ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATED DOLLARS(US$21.5M).THIS AMOUNT WAS ACCUMULATED THROUGH
UNDECLARED WINDFALL FROM SALES OF CRUDE OIL DURING THE
GULF WAR.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ACCOUNT INTO
WHICH THE FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED SINCE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY OUR LAWS TO OPERATE FOREIGN
ACCOUNT. IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT THE OWNER OF THE
ACCOUNT WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH US$4.3 MILLION OF THE
REMITTED FUNDS, WE KEEP US$16.125 MILLION WHILE US$1.075
MILLION WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFFSET EXPENSES AND PAY THE
NECESSARY TAXES.
IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILAR
TRANSACTION WAS CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR. PATRICE MILLER,
THE PRESIDENT OF CRAINE INTERNATIONAL TRADING CORPORATION
AT NUMBER 135, EAST 57TH STREET, 28TH
FLOOR, NEW YORK. 10022 WITH TELEPHONE(212)308-7788 AND TELEX
NUMBER 6731689, AFTER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH PARTNERS
IN WHICH HE WAS TO TAKE 5%.THE MONEY WAS DULY TRANSFERRED
INTO HIS ACCOUNT ONLY TO BE DISAPPOINTED ON OUR
ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK AS WE WERE RELIABLY INFORMED THAT MR.
PATRICE MILLER WAS NO LONGER ON THAT ADDRESS WHILE HIS
TELEPHONE AND TELEX NUMBERS HAVE BEEN REALLOCATED TO SOMEBODY
ELSE, THAT IS HOW WE LOST US$17.5M TO MR PATRICE MILLER.
THIS TIME AROUND WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY
PERSON OR A REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DO BUSINESS WITH HENCE
THIS LETTER TO YOU, SO IF YOU CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE TRUSTED
AND INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL THEN WE ARE PREPARED TO DO
BUSINESS WITH YOU. WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS THE
ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL LET US HAVE OUR SHARE WHEN THIS
AMOUNT OF US$21.5M IS TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
IF THIS PROPOSAL SATISFIES YOU, PLEASE EMAIL, ONLY YOUR
RESPONSE SO WE CAN ADVICE YOU ON THE MODALITIES OF THE
TRANSACTION. ALL MODALITIES OF THE TRANSFER HAVE BEEN
WORKED OUT AND ONCE STARTED WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN
14 WORKING DAYS WITH THE ABSOLUTE SUPPORT OF ALL CONCERNED.
THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE.
PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL. GOD BE WITH
YOU AS I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY. .
PLEASE REPLY STRICTLY BY , EMAIL ONLY .
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
HON. DR BEN SPIFF
NOTE;
PLEASE READ WELL AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE REPLYING.AND
SEND YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU
A CALL FOR FUTHER EXPLANATION

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam