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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • willisonvan301@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Willison Van <willison517@yahoo.com.sg>
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:17:32 +0800 (CST)
Subject: Dear Good Friend


Dear Good Friend,
FOR YOUR ATTENTION ONLY
My name is Dr Willison Van, am the branch
and computer management department here
in our bank.I have only written to seek
your indulgence and assistance. I wish
to make a transfer involving a huge.
Amount of base US$15,000,000.00 {Fifteen
Million US Dollars of Late Mr Mark
Smith out of the bank,he died since 1995,
till now the account remains dormat.
I am proposing to make this transfer to a
designated bank account of your choice.
Thus, for your indulgence and support, I
propose an offer of 20% of the total amount
to be yours after the transfer has been
successfully concluded.
Your full name and phone number/fax is need
in the first place. Kindly reply me stating
your interest, and I shall furnish you with
the details and necessary proceedures with
which to make the transfer progress.yourself.
I will send you all the document you may need
for the transaction when i received your reply.
please i will like you to email me back
through my email thus;(willisonvan301@yahoo.com) I will be
waiting to recieve your reply soon,
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Willison Van.


---------------------------------

Real people. Real questions. Real answers. Share what you know.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam