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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +448704715845 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447045705702 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • uaclworld@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "EXTOL FINANCE LTD (aff liverwood)" <infoextolagentt@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 20:22:22 +0100 (BST)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?q?REF=20N=BA:=20LIUK/5020/0261/20=20CONTACT=20COUREIER=20FOR?=
=?iso-8859-1?q?=20DELIVERY?=


Customer Service
REF Nº: LIUK/5020/0261/20
BATCH Nº: 01-A442

FROM THE DESK OF,
Mrs . Diane Milton
Claims Agent/ Logistic Officer

Date: 07/08/2007
Dear Conradine Klug ,


This is confirming receipt of your correspondence and assuring you that in line with our principles of efficiency, transparency and customer satisfaction, you shall be treated with the best possible service within the abilities of this office and in line with company policies.

You have been confirmed as a category A winner of the NATIONAL LIVERWOOD LOTTERY computer balloting draws. Your claims file has been duly forwarded to this office with specific instructions that we shall be handling the transfer of your prize of £1,500,000.00(One Million, five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds sterlings) to you.

Instruction of payment for your lottery prize is already in our possession and shall be acted upon your meeting the requirements stated below.

A cheque as been issued in your favour based on the informations presented.
A certificate of prize claims and some vital documents will be sent along side your winnings cheque.

We received your filled form and it has been approved by the Gaming Commission. You will be further required to contact the Courier company for the delivery of your winning parcel, which include the original copy of your NATIONAL LIVERWOOD LOTTERY WINNING CERTIFICATE and your NATIONAL LIVERWOOD LOTTERY WINNING CHEQUE, together with a covering document (Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the British government stating that the money was obtained legally through their National Liverwood Lottery promotion will be sent to you by the UNIVERSAL AIR COURIERS LTD.


Please contact the details below with your Reference number given to you by the National Liverwood Inc, and the amount you won. Also send them your mailing address (No Postal address is accepted).

Contact;

Mr. Moore Davids
Delivery officer,
UNIVERSAL AIR COURIERS,
Email: uaclworld@yahoo.co.uk

Phone Number: + 44 704 570 5702

Fax Number: +44 870 471 5845

As soon as you contact the courier company with the relevant details, make sure you inform us every step and conversation with them. Be sure that you shall be responsible for the delivery of your winning parcel as its the rule of the Gaming Board and the National Liverwood Inc.

Have a splendid day and congratulations once again. We hope to hear positive response from you stating that you have contacted the courier company on uaclworld@yahoo.co.uk

Regards,
Mrs Diane Milton,
Claims Agent.
EXTOL FINANCE INC. U.K.
.............................................................................................................................................................................................
This email and its attachments are confidential and intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). This email and its attachments may also be privileged or protected by legal rules. If you have received this by mistake please let us know by reply immediately and destroy the email and its attachments without reading, copying or forwarding the contents.






---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for your freeaccount today.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam