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)
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "trunk box" (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)
  • "prepared to give you 30% " (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)
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• 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.
  • sandra_osei01@gawab.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Sandra Osei <sandraosei03@yahoo.co.th>
Reply-To: sandra_osei01@gawab.com
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:14:38 +0700 (ICT)
Subject: Very important


From: Mrs. Sandra Osei
23 Irish Lane, Roman Ridge
Accra-Ghana.


Hello dear,


I got your contact from a discreet search on the internet and I was inspired and motivated to contact you through this media and reveal my life secret to you.


My name is Sandra Osei and I am living with AIDS. Please, accept my apology for any inconvenience this mail may cause you. I am a true God fearing Woman and I want you to help me for the sake of my Children.


Ever since my husband, Mr. Edward Osei, Director of former Wassa community Mining in Ghana (now Goldfield Mining Company) died of AIDS and I was tested positive of the AIDS virus, my late husband?s family relations wouldn`t just let me and my children be.


I would have loved to travel out of the country to a place where I will have peace and spend the rest of my life with my children but I couldn`t make it for I am weak and severely sick. Moreover, no Embassy would grant me Visa to her Country with my hairs withering and boils all over my body. I will like you to keep this top secret and confidential.


From all indications, I know that my days are numbered. In the light of this, I have contacted you to assist me to transfer out of Ghana, the SUM OF 12 Million USD, which my husband deposited under the custody of a security company here in Ghana, for the up-keep of my children; so that you will safe-keep it in your bank account for my children, as they will be coming over to your country in due course to live and further their education.


My dear, I need a sponsor for this project and after the funds are secured in your account YOU WILL INVEST IT FOR MY CHILDREN INTO AGRICULTURE, COMMERCIAL ESTATE OR ANY BUSINESS OF YOUR CHOICE, WHICH YOU DEEM HEALTHY. For your effort, I am prepared to give you 30% of the total funds.


Above all, you will be made the beneficiary to the money, so that the security company can release the money to you and you will transfer it to you bank account. Please, note that nobody in the security company knows that the content of the trunk box is money because my late husband wisely declared it as "FAMILY VALUABLE PROPERTIES" so i want you to maintain the confidentiality in order to avoid rising of eyebrows from any angle.


I am looking forward to hearing from you, while thanking you for your anticipated co-operation. Please send me your address and personal telephone / fax numbers, and i will give you more information.


PLEASE REPLY THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR E-MAIL ADDRESS: sandra_osei01@gawab.com Thank you.


Yours sincerely,


Sandra Osei
______________________________________________________________

---------------------------------
ถึงเมืองไทยแล้ว! มารู้จักเพื่อนคนเก่งใกล้ๆ คุณ บนอินเทอร์เน็ตด้วย Yahoo! รู้รอบ กันดีกว่า

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam