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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • vladilapolniko@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR VLADISLAV POLNIKOV" <vladila-polniko@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: vladilapolniko@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 15:41:31 +0200
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE

From the Desk of MR VLADILAV POLNIKOV.
Independent Committee of
Eminent Persons {ICEP}
Switzerland.

Dear Friend,

My name is Mr Vladislav Polnikov a member of Independent Committee of
Eminent Persons (ICEP), Switzerland. ICEP is charged with the
responsibility of finding bank accounts in Switzerland belonging to non-Swiss
indigenes, which have remained dormant since World War II.

It may interest you to know that in July of 1997, the Swiss Banker's
Association published a list of dormant accounts originally opened by
non-Swiss citizens. These accounts had been dormant since the end of World
War II (May 9, 1945). Most belonged to Holocaust victims.
The continuing efforts of the Independent Committee of Eminent Persons
(ICEP) have since resulted in the discovery of additional dormant
accounts -54,000 in December, 1999.

The published lists contain all types of dormant accounts, including
interest-bearing savings accounts, securities accounts, safe deposit
boxes, custody accounts, and non-interest-bearing transaction accounts.
Numbered accounts are also included. Interest is paid on accounts that
were interest bearing when established.

The Claims Resolution Tribunal (CRT) handles processing of all claims
on accounts due to non-Swiss citizens. A safe deposit box of Dr Matt.S.
Merk, which contains a huge sum of 45,000,000 US dollars plus
gemstones, was discovered by me. The beneficiary was murdered during the
holocaust era, leaving no WILL and no possible records for trace of
heirs.

The Claims Resolution Tribunal has been mandated to report all
unclaimed funds for permanent closure of accounts and transfer of existing
credit balance into the treasury of Switzerland government as provided by
the law for management of assets of deceased beneficiaries who died
interstate (living no wills). I now seek your consent to present you as the
bonafide beneficiary to Late Dr Matt.S. Menninger deposit/estate.
Since, you bear the same national identity/last name, so that the proceeds
of this safe deposit boxes can be processed in your favour.

Being a top executive at ICEP, I have all secret details and necessary
contacts for claim of the deposit without any hitch. The deposit, after
the clarifications of our claims by the board will be transferred to
any of their corresponding security firms in London Or France, being a
safe haven for funds and we can share the funds and use in investment of
our choice. Due to the sensitive nature of my job, I need a foreigner
to HELP claim the funds.

All that is required is for you to provide me with your details for
processing of the necessary legal and administrative claim documents for
transfer of the deposit to you.

Kindly provide me with your full names, address, and telephone/fax. I
will pay all required fees to ensure that the fund/deposit is
transferred to a Finance firm in your name in the London, Germany,Spain Or France, of which you
will be capable of accessing the funds/deposit gradually and
transferring to your country and other banks of choice in the world.

My share will be 60% percent and your share is 40% percent of the total
amount. THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED.

You can find additional information about unclaimed funds through the
Internet at the following websites:
www.swissbankclaims.com <http://www.swissbankclaims.com/>
<http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9902/09/germany.holocaust/>
www.avotaynu.com <http://www.avotaynu.com/>
www.icheic.org <http://www.icheic.org/>
www.livingheirs.com <http://www.livingheirs.com/>

The Holocaust Claims Processing Office has put funds in Escrow
awaiting submission of valid claims for necessary disbursement.
I find myself privileged to have this information and this may be a
great opportunity for a lifetime of success without risks.

Due to security reasons, do reply to me securely through this email
addres vladilapolniko@yahoo.com <mailto:vladilapolniko@yahoo.com>
I await your urgent response to this proposal via the above email
address.

My Regards

MR VLADISLAV POLNIKOV.
HSBC Republic Bank (Suisse)
SA Geneva Switzerland

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam