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)
  • "million 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)
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: mark johncock <markjohncock07@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:59:04 +0100 (BST)
Subject: {Spam!}


Dear friend,

I'm Mr.Alfred Kodjo from Lome Togo the only son of late Mr. David Kodjo who died with a Lebanese gold and diamond business associate on a business trip, on December 2003, may his gentle soul rest in peace.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm

My father told me my mother suffered high blood pressure and died when I was 3 years old, I am 20 years old now but when I was 18 years my father gave me a file jacket and told me it is a top secret, the content of the file is a deposit certificate and other relevant information of a consignment with a finance company here in lome Togo, the deposit was a sealed box containing us$12m twelve million united states dollars. I am still confused because I never knew I will lost my father so early.

Your co-operation is highly needed to assist me convey this box out of the security company for a better investment oversea and possibly to help me to relocate oversea. Please if you can assist and co-operate with me, I will let you have up to 20% of the total sum since you will also help me in the investments and my possible relocation once the box is moved out safely.Please, remember that you will advise me on what area of investment to go into, though i am interested in buying properties and shares in good performing foreign companies.

Please I need your prompt reply indicating your interest .As soon as you accept to assist me I will give you all the details of the deposit with the security company here in Togo for you to open up an official communication with them as my oversea investment manager .

Please treat this transaction as confidential for this is the hope of my survivals.

Regards,

Alfred Kodjo.


---------------------------------
Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
A Smarter Email.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam