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)
  • "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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2289821329 (Togo, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • nom.nom@laposte.net

Fraud email example:

From: "monsieur.moinel" <monsieur.moinel@laposte.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:20:33 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Please get in touch


>From Mr Steven Cole.
Auditing & Accounting Department
of Ecobank PLC lome-Togo.
Telephone: +228 982 13 29

Dear Friend,

I wish this my proposal will not come to you as a surprise.I am Mr Steven Cole,a Regional Director of Ecobank Lome-Togo(Economic community of West African Bank) with regional Office here in Lome-Togo.We had a foreign client,who used to work with Shell International Republic of Togo,he deposited a huge amount of $5.5m(Five million five hundred thousand United States Dollars),with our Bank.

Eventually this client,died on the 21st of April 2001,our client,his wife and their children were involved in a car accident along Kara-Sokode expressway while arriving from a Holiday to Lome,Togo.

A sitaution I have monitored closely with my position in the Bank. Now, having monitored this deposit and managed it over the years before his death, and hence nobody has showed up as the next of kin for the past three years plus, I have removed the file to my private vault.

I seek your consent to present as the next of kin to the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. I now solicit for your assistance to present you as the next of kin as every other arrangement has being concluded by me and I am only waiting for a foreigner to enable me move the fund to his designated foreign bank account in his country.

This does not have any risk attached to it as all the internal documentations will be handled by me. I therefore request you to confirm your interest by a return message and I will furnish you with details but do not forget to keep top secret. you will be entitled to 25% of the total sum as gratification,while 5% will be set aside to take care of expenses that may arise during the time of transfer and also telephone/fax bills, and 70% will be for me and my partner.

I look forward to hearing from you immediately you recieves this message.

Best Regards,

Mr Steven Cole

Créez votre adresse électronique prénom.nom@laposte.net
1 Go d'espace de stockage, anti-spam et anti-virus intégrés.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam