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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (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.
• 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.
  • ddddcopperfield@jmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?us-ascii?Q?LONDON2012=20PROMOTIONAL=20DRAW?= <george.korba@seznam.cz>
Reply-To: ddddcopperfield@jmail.co.za
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 02:58:49 +0100 (CET)
Subject: =?us-ascii?Q?Get=20back=20to=20me=20on=20this?=

Dear Friend,
I am Barrister David Copperfield, a personal Attorney to the late Mr. Peter
McKenzie. I got your contact through the help of my sister-in-law that works with the British/American Chambers of Commerce, though I did not disclose to her my humble intention for an honest foreigner like you, having noted the confidence reposed on your person by the sponsor of the recommendation.

My late client Mr. McKenzie was the Chief Executive officer of {British Petroleum} for 15 years and he was retired on the 30th day of September2002. However a month after his retirement, my client and his entire family died on their way to a Conference in a Plane crash on the 30th day of October 2002. Before his death my client had a total sum of US$7,500,000.00 with a Finance House with the hope of transferring the fund to his country after his retirement but he never lived to carry out this plans. For four years now I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives of this man and so have decided to seek other means to transfer this fund. I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased. I agree to pay you 40% of the fund as the account owner, 60% would be for me. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. So please if you are interested in doing this with me respond to me via my PERSONAL SECURE EMAIL: (ddddcopperfield@jmail.co.za), so w
e can discuss more on this.

I do look forward to your prompt response.

Best regards,
Barrister David Copperfield

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam