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:
  • ",000,000" (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)
• 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.
  • +447011140293 (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.
  • agent_frankedwards@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Frank Edwards <agent_frankedwards@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:56:42 +0100 (BST)
Subject: MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM


MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM
61B Ashbourne Avenue,
London, NW11 0DT,
United Kingdom
Reference number 700DMUK291176S
Batch number: UK065/088/XY2400
********************************
********************************

Dear,Winifride Kirchst


This is to inform you that we have received your lottery winning information in the just concluded MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM PROGRAMMES for 2007.
Congratulations, you were among the twenty international lucky winners in this category of the draws, with the following informations reference number (700DMUK291176S) and batch number (UK065/088/XY2400) as your winning information.
I am the agent assigned to you in the lottery promotions, and as such, my job is to ensure that your prize money is released to you.
Your prize money of 1,000,000.00 Pounds. is presently deposited with CLYDESDALE BANK PLC, here in the UNITED KINGDOM. I have just sent to them your lottery winning informations. They will be required to contact you soon.
I want you to know that for further verification, you will need to quote your reference number and batch number to them when you are contacted.
And you will be expected to forward every of your correspondence with them to me for record keeping.
You are not allowed to disclose any of your winning informations, hence somebody else will file for your claim and funds will be transferred to such person, please take note!
Once again congratulations for your luck.
Mr. Frank Edwards.
processing Agent in charge.
Tel:(+44)7011140293
Email: agent_frankedwards@yahoo.co.uk
MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM
UNITED KINGDOM


Shoutcast - Beste musik in die Net. http://www.shoutcast.com/



---------------------------------
Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam