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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: mabel pattrice <mabel@mpattrice.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:55:39 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: hello dear


Dear Sir/Madame

It is with mixed feelings that i communicate you through this medium,im mabel pattrice the daughter of minister of mines(late chief fasse pattrice), im seeking a faithful, sincere and reliable foreigner who will assist me in investing my late father's(chief fasse pattrice) fortune in the amount of US$15, 745, 000.00.
This amount was originally deposited by our late father in a security company in Ghana and just before my parents and two of my siblings were killed by rebels in our family house in Sierra Leone, my father had successfully lodged the money at the security company in Accra, Ghana.

Im the only survivors of our family. I am therefore seeking your assstance to stand-in me as my late father's business partner and foreign investor, to claim this money from the security company as the beneficiary. You will also be required to assist us in investing our own part of the money into viable business ventures abroad and for all this we are offering you 25% of the total funds as reward.
If therefore, you can assure me of your sincerity, honesty and ability to help me secure the release of this amount/invest it, i will give you the contact details of an attorney so he will present you as the beneficiary to the funds while processing actual release of it on your behalf.
Please note that you stand no risk at all in assisting me to conclude this transaction because the money is legitimately our family fortune. And also, I will like you to furnish me with your complete information so that we can be able to communicate.

Mabel Pattrice

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam