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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Mary Agu <mrsagu38@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mrsagu207@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:11:42 +0100
Subject: GOD BLESS YOU



Dear Friend,
Compliments of the day!!
I am Mrs. Mary Agu a former staff of the Federal Ministry of Aviation undergoing medical Treatment. I am married to Dr. John Agu who worked with National Petroleum Corporation for nineteen years before he died in the year 2006.
We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness.When my late husband was alive he deposited a huge sum of money with a finance company. Presently, this money is still with the finance Company.This money was accumalated from an onshore engineering award my husband won during the last regime.
Recently, my Doctor told me that my condition with the special grace of God would soon be okay.Though what disturbs me most is that am diagonised to be having spinal abnormalty. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church or better still a God fearing individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct. I want a church or individual that will use this fund on the orphanages, widows etc propagating the word of God.
My husband’s relatives has being maltreating me with the only motive to take away the funds from me becuase I did not have a child.
I will surely appreciate and thank you for your kindness in giving me help.
Thank you
Mrs. Mary Agu.
_________________________________________________________________
Discover the new Windows Vista
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam