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:
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • f.matins@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: frank matins <frank20@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <f.matins@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 13:08:17 +0100
Subject: INVESTMENT OFFER




FROM:MR FRANK,BANQUE SAHELO INVESSTIMENT
ET LE COMMERCE ( B.S.I.C ),LOT 652,ZONE ST.MITCHEL,COTONOU,REPUBLIC OF BENIN,WEST AFRICA.

Dear ,
I sincerely like to seek your co-operation and trust to enable me carry out an urgent business Opportunity in my department. I work with the B.S.I.C BANK BENIN ,currently I am in charge of bills and exchange at the foreign remittance department of my bank. I was the account officer to one( Mr & Mr. Perry Palm,) who worked with Chevron Oil company,but both died in the December 25th, 2003 Air Crash in Benin Republic.
He left in his domiciliary account the total sum of $15.5 million(Fifteen million five hundred thousand USA Dollars).Since the management got the information of his death we have been expecting any of his relation or his next of kin to come up and claim his money. Unfortunately from the day of his death till the time of this letter none of his relation or friends has come up for the claim.The banking and financial law of ( B.S.I.C Bank ) stipulates that if such fund remained unclaimed after a period of (4 years) it will be lost to the bank as unclaimed deposit.
On this note, I now decided to do business with you and release the money to you as the next of kin to the deceased for subsequent disbursement among us. I will soon proceed for my retirement leave, and I personally do not want this fund to be lost to the bank. That is why I wanted the fund to be move out of the bank before I proceed on my retirement from the banking services.
I need a foreigner as next of kin in this project is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Beninnois will not perfectly fit in as his next of kin or heir. I have agreed that 30% of the Fund would be for you as foreign partner, thereafter I will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated.
To enable the immediate transfer of the fund into your nominated account, you would have to fill the bank application form for such claim as the next of kin to the deceased. There you will designate your bank account where the money will be remitted. Upon receipt of your mail indicating your interest, I will send to you a copy of the application form and the Account/ Deceased information you would need to fill it.
Send your direct Fax and telephone numbers for effective communication that this transaction needs. PLEASE VIEW THE WEBSITE.www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html
Hope to hear from you soonest. You can contact me on my privet emaill address f.matins@yahoo.com
Yours Faithfully,

Mr. Frank,


_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam