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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",000,000" (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)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • +27732439985 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: msn <gerrirockwell@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:14:23 +0200
Subject: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION:


(Microsoft src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/all/i/ms=5Fmasthead=5F8x6a=5Fltr.jpg)(=
MSN src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)=20
FROM THE DESK OF THE MICROSOFTCOORDINATOR {MICROSOFT GLOBAL E-MAIL LOTTERY=
}
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT LONDON,WC2N5BX,ENGLAND,UNITED KINGDOM=
FILE REF:HL/8121/31/11/MICSBATCH: MC44/707/3PDH /EU=20
=20

OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:
Dear Winner: It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a su=
rprise but please find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you ov=
er your success in the following official publication of results of the E-=
mail electronic online Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft,in conjunction w=
ith the foundation for the promotion of software products,(F.P.S.)held on =
the 12th of April 2008,in United kingdom. Wherein your electronic email ad=
dress emerged as one of the online winning emails in the 1st category and =
therefore attracted a cash award of USD$1,000,000.00 (One Million United S=
tates Dollars only) which your file falls in our South African Claim offic=
e in Johannesburg Our winners are arranged into four categories with diffe=
rent winning prizes accordingly in each category. They are arranged in thi=
s format below: CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES 1st. 2 USD$1,000,000=
.00 each 2nd. 8 USD$800,000.00 each 3rd. 13 USD$470,000.00 each 4th. 27 US=
D$170,000.00 each We write to officially notify you of this award and to a=
dvise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of thi=
s message for more information concerning the verification, processing and=
eventual payment of the above prize to you. It is important to note that =
your award information was released with the following particulars attache=
d to it.(1) Award numbers: NL 62/7811
(2) Email ticket numbers: NL901/33/65
(3) Batch numbers: MC44/707/3PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/8121/31/11/MICS{5} Serial Numbers:McST/=
030/NL0981 For verification purpose be sure to include:(1) Your mailing ad=
dress:
(2) Your Tel(Mobile):(3) Your Nationality/Country:{4}Your Full Names: To f=
ile for your claim,Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION o=
f your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notificatio=
n. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winn=
ing notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention =
the above particulars
of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent in South Africa =
validate your winning
CONTACT:
*******************************************************************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
NAME MR.RHOSSOR SIMONMICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT(REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC=
A)
TEL:+27 73-243-9985
E-mail:rhossorsimon=5Fassociates@gala.net***********************************=
*********************************
The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates: and a consortium of software promotion companies=
. The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Compani=
es. The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organiz=
ed to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worl=
dwide. Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS! Yours faith=
fully, Dr.Gerri Rockwell
MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION COORDINATOR. (Microsoft src=3D"http://i2.=
microsoft.com/h/all/i/ms=5Fmasthead=5F8x6a=5Fltr.jpg)(MSN src=3D"http://i2.microso=
ft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)


(MSN src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)=09
Jetzt neu! Sch=FCtzen Sie Ihren PC mit McAfee und WEB.DE. 30 Tage=20
kostenlos testen. *http://www.pc-sicherheit.web.de/startseite/=3Fmc=3D022220* =
[http://www.pc-sicherheit.web.de/startseite/=3Fmc=3D022220]

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam