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

Fraud email example:

From: "johnson kone" <johnsonkone016@gala.net>
Reply-To: johnson_kone0@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 10:34:51 +0000
Subject: HELLO GORDON


HELLO GORDON

MY NAME IS MR JOHNSON KONE A BANKER WITH ONE OF THE LEADING BANKS HERE IN
ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE WEST AFRICA; I AM THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER TO MR.
JAMES GORDON, WHO USED TO BE A CONTRACTOR WITH AN OIL SERVICING COMPANY
BASED HERE IN COTE IVOIRE. MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE, AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN
WERE INVOLVED IN THE ILL FATED KENYA AIRWAYS CRASH IN THE COASTS OF ABIDJAN
IN JANUARY 2000 IN WHICH ALL PASSENGERS ON BOARD DIED. SINCE THEN I HAVE
MADE SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED RELATIVES BUT
HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. I DECIDED TO TRACE HIS LAST NAME OVER THE INTERNET,
TO SEE IF I COULD LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HENCE I CONTACTED YOU.

OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IS THIS LARGE DEPOSIT WITH OUR BANK HERE, WHERE THE
DECEASED HAS AN ACCOUNT VALUED AT ABOUT ($15 MILLION US DOLLARS) THEY HAVE
ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR THE BANK WILL DECLARE THE
ACCOUNT UNSERVICEABLE AND THEREBY SEND THE FUNDS TO THE GOVERNMENT
TREASURY.SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER
LAST 5 YEARS NOW, I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF
THE DECEASED SINCE YOU HAVE THE SAME LAST NAMES, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF
THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I CAN SHARE THE
MONEY.

ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEEING THIS DEAL
THROUGH. I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER ALL LEGITIMATE
ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. IF YOU CAN
HANDLE THIS WITH ME, REACH ME BY SENDING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS NOW
THROUGH THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT:

1. YOUR NAME
2. POSTAL ADDRESS
3. DATE OF BIRTH
4. TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
5. PROFESSION WITH POSITION

THANKING YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COOPERATION.
SINCERELY YOURS
MR JOHNSON KONE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam