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:
  • "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)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Michael Graham" <michael_graham@liv.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: michael-graham15@excite.com
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:27:21 +0100
Subject: ANOTHER NOTICE!!

THIS IS FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

We wish to notify you again that you were listed as a beneficiary to the total
sum of £10,600,000.00GBP (Ten Million Six Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in
the codicil and last testament of the deceased. (Name now withheld since this
is our second letter to you).

We contacted you because you bear the surname identity and therefore can
present you as the beneficiary to the inheritance. We therefore reckoned that
you could receive these funds as you are qualified by your name identity. All
the legal papers will be processed in your acceptance. In your acceptance of
this deal, we request that you kindly forward to us your letter of acceptance;
your current telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable us
file necessary documents at our high court probate division for the release of
this sum of money.
Please contact me via my email so that we can get this done immediately.

Yours faithfully,

Michael Graham
Graham & Company Solicitors,
37 Glen Road Lower Castlereagh,
Belfast, BT1 5JX. N. Ireland.
Tel:(44) 070-3199-0764
Fax:(44) 0700-597-6560.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam