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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "mariam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • lawnequity@lawyer.com

Fraud email example:

From: "barrister musa" <barristermusa94@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:41:38 +0000
Subject: Looking forward to hear from you

FROM:Barrister Musa Issa
COUNTRY:Lagos Nigeria

Greetings,

I know this mail may come to you as a surprise,I am Barrister Mussa Issah
the solicitor/counsel to the late Sanni Abacha who was then before his
death, the President/Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Just yesterday his wife (Mrs. Mariam Abacha) called to intimate me of the
condition of her family over the pursuance of fund by the Governmentover the
husbands alleged loot.

In fact, She conferred in me that her son was working with a German National
only for the German to take advantage of the situation, there by setting her
son up in Germany where he went to claim his father deposit. You can verify
this fact your self through the German Embassy over an alleged Abacha's Son,
Mr. Abba Abacha trying to pull out the sum of (US$40 M) Forty Million
Dollars from the Bank.

At this point in time, She solicited my humble self to look for a reputable
gentleman who will be of great assistance to the family and somebody who can
take over the sum of $27M (Twenty Seven Million United States Dollars
Only)which is presently deposited in a Security Company, for investment. I
will later on the course of this transaction disclosed to you the Security
Company accordingly.

If you will be interested to act upon on receipt of this mail, please do
contact me on the contact address and more so be kind to issue me with your
current Telephone Number for prompt conversation.

Thanks for your sincere understanding while looking forward to your positive
response/cooperation through this this my private e-mail address:
lawnequity@lawyer.com

If you are not the intended recipient of this mail, Please delete from your
mailbox and disregard the content. May be the mail may have reached you by
error.

Regards,
Barrister Musa Issah

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam