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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Chukwudi Udi" <chukudi5@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:38:08 +0000
Subject: Urgent.

FROM:MR. CHUKWUDI UDI,
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
BANQUE TOGOLAISE POUR LE COMMERCE ET L'INDUSTRIE,
(BTCI)LOME- TOGO

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Chukwudi udi, from the western part of TOGO LOME working with the
above bank. I will want to seek your assistance after my discovery during
auditing in this bank, after getting your contact via the web intelligent
directory then, I as the head of Auditing department discovered an abandoned
sum in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died
along with his entire family in 26th of December 2004 Tsunami natural
disaster where he lost his life and whole family who were on holidays in
Phuket Thailand Since we got this information about his death, we have been
expecting his next of Kin to come over and claim his money because we can
not release it unless somebody applies for it as next of Kin or relation to
the deceased as indicated in our banking and financial policies but
unfortunately we learnt that his supposed next of kin or relation died along
side with him in the disaster leaving no body behind to claim the money.
It is therefore upon this discovery that I and decided as the head of this
department to make this business proposal to you and release the money to
you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent
disbursement since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to
go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed bills.Do not view this as been
illegal but to help people like us that have no hope in life instead of the
bank converting this much money to the security funds of the bank because if
you dont assist us the bank will lay hold on this money. The Banking law and
guideline here stipulates that if such money remained
unclaimed after long period, the money will be transferred into the Bank
treasury as unclaimed fund.The total sum in question is:US$14 million US
dollars (FOURTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)The request for a foreigner
as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer
was a foreigner and an indegine cannot stand as next of kin to the deceased
family and moreover we as bankers are not allowed by law to operate foreign
accounts. Therefore to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as
arranged into your account, there are certain banking protocols to be
followed in which i am very ready to furnish you with details and guide you
accordingly. However, note that this business is 100% risk free, and i am
prepared to
offer you 35% for your assistance in this business, 60% for me and 5% for
transfer expence to tranfer the fund into your account. The following
website shows the extent of my discovery in which i saw the deceased name
and families included and the next of kin dying along with everyone, hence
leaving no next of kin. The website is
http://missingpersons.or.th/index.en.html
,http://tsunamimissingamericans.blogspot.com The above website is for your
own sighting for you to have full knowledge of the venture and partnership
we are about bring together in unity and oneness of mind towards good
success. Hence, i am waiting for your response in this
respect for us to proceed while i give you ALL neccessary details,
accordingly.
Your partner and friend,
Mr. Chukwudi udi.

_________________________________________________________________
Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!
http://search.msn.com/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam