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:
  • "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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 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.
  • a.butler@deliveryman.com
  • airfreightdelivery_services@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: POWERBALL ONLINE <powerballclaimdept2007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:47:21 +0100 (BST)
Subject: RE:BRITISH SWEEPSTAKES/VERIFICATION FORM


Dear Mr Kuhn,

We are in receipt of your mail.In response to your mail, Be informed that your winnings could either be transferred to you via cheque or bank to bank wire transfer.

In regards the first option, which is Courier delivery of your winning cheque, the following documents below, will be delivered to your location:

1. ORIGINAL COPY OF WINNING CERTIFICATE
2. WINNING CHEQUE (Certified Cashier’s Bond Check)
3. CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS (Issued by British Lottery Affairs Commission).
4. AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM.

To effect transfer of your winnings via cheque(courier), You are required to contact our official delivery department via the email address below for further instructions on how to send your winning parcel to your location:

AIR FREIGHT DELIVERY COMPANY
Email: a.butler@deliveryman.com or airfreightdelivery_services@yahoo.co.uk
MR. ANDREW BUTLER (Delivery Officer).

Have it in mind that your won prize cannot be deducted from , this is because the total amount has been insured to the real value . This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 9 JULY 1995 by the constitutional assembly. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds.

For Option 2 which bank to bank wire.
You will be required to open an online transit account with our official payment bank where your winning will be deposited for clearance before direct wiring of funds into your designated bank account.

Lastly, "what are the charges if I remit the money elsewhere?".You will required to pay the delivery/transfer charges.

I await your response.

Best Regards,
Mr Cross Michael


---------------------------------
For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.

---------------------------------
For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam