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)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: franciscoleesq61@walla.com
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 01:47:52 +0000
Subject: YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IS NEEDED?



BARRISTER FRANCIS COLE AND CO
FROM THE DESK OF LAWYER FRANCIS COLE
NO 2/3 DWITF STREET IKEJA G.R.A

I am Barrister FRANCIS COLE ESQ , a solicitor at law. I am the
personal
attorney to Mr. Charles Jones,a national of your country, who used to
work with Chevron Oil Producing Company in my country.Here in after
shall be referred to as my client.

On the 25th of Decembar 2003, my client,on the single reason of
visiting his in laws.His wife{A LEBANESE} and their only daughter were
involved in a Plane crash on their way home for the holidays and were
among the
111 people confirmed dead. Since then I have made several inquiries to
your embassy here to locate any of my client's extended relatives,
this
has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful
attempts, I decided to track over the Internet to locate any member of
his family or relative hence i I contacted you since you have the
samelast
name with my late client. I have contacted you to assist in
repatriating the fund valued at US$20.7 MILLION (TWENTY MILLION SEVEN
HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) Left behind by my client before it get
Confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance Firm where this
huge amount was deposited. The said Finance Company has issued me a
notice
to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated in the next
six months.

For the fact that I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives
since then I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to
the
deceased,so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to
you.Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, your share should
be 40% and the remaining 60% will be coming to me after the money is
been
credited in your chosen account. I can assist in procuring the
necessary information and legal documents that may be needed to
actualizethis
proposal.All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable
us
see this transaction through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law.

PLEASE VIEW THE
WEBSITE:http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html

REGARDS.

BARRISTER.FRANCIS COLE ESQ

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam