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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "flash fortune lotto international programs" (no such lottery exists)
  • "flash fortune lottery" (no such lottery exists)
  • "global mega lottery" (no such lottery exists)
  • " lotto international " (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +27785053302 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mauricezuma@executivemail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • email_winnings01@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "johnson nkosi" <emailprogramme@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 16:31:00 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS.


THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE PROMOTION MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT
FLASH FORTUNE LOTTO DRAW
YOU HAVE WON ON THE COMPUTER BALLOT,
THE SUM OF US$ 2,950,000,00
PLEASE CALL: + 27 785053302
(MR.MAURICE ZUMA)
YOUR CLAIM AGENT.
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
emails: mauricezuma@executivemail.co.za
(GLOBAL MEGA LOTTERY) PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION We are pleased to inform you
of the announcement made 1st June 2008, of winners of the FLASH FORTUNE
LOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, as part of our promotional draws. Participants
were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email
addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of
our electronic business Promotions Program. Note- that your email address
qualified for the draw, as a result of our visiting various websites we are
running the e-business promotions for. You/Your Company email address,
attached to ticket number 100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the
lucky numbers 3, 8, 13, 22, 27, 41 and Bonus number 12 and consequently YOU
HAVE won in the Second Category. Your winning Ticket is Number.
343-221-8756Your Serial Number. 454-17Your lucky draw Numbers are. 3, 8, 13,
22, 27, 41 Bonus Number 12Your INSURANCE Number: FLS433/453L/GMSA You are
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$2,950,000.00 in cash,
which is the winning payout for Second category winners. This is from the
total prize money of US$26,650,000.00 shared among the Seven international
winners in the Second category. CONGRATULATIONS! Please be informed that
your CHEQUE of the sum of US$2,950,000.00 is now with Omega Crossing Finance
and Security Company insured with your email address which won you this
prize, therefore you should contact (OMEGA CROSSING SA) your agent and give
them your full names so that they will re-insure your CHEQUE under your full
names. Please note that OMEGA CROSSING your paying agent, will invite you to
their office in Johannesburg South Africa for your immediate payment, you
have to hurry up and contact them immediately.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent immediately, and also
to send an urgent message to Mr. Maurice Zuma, through Email address EMAIL:
email_winnings01@yahoo.co.uk
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and other information
provided above and below in every one of your correspondences with your
claims agent. REFERENCE NUMBER: GML-S343-KKT-8811BATCH NUMBER:
56T-DTH78-SAR99 FLASH FORTUNE LOTTO PROGRAM IS A BONUS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
FOR THE 2010 SOCCER WORLD Congratulations'' once again from all our staff
and thank you for being part of our promotions program.
Complete the below form and summit it to your agent by email :
( 1 ) YOUR FULL NAMES: ................. ( 2 ) YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS:
.............( 3 ) TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBERS:......... ( 4 ) SEX /
AGE:..................( 5 ) YOUR COUNTRY: ................ ( 6 ) LANGUAGE:
....................... ( 7 ) YOUR OCCUPATION: .................... ( 8 )
HAVE YOU EVER WON A LOTTERY BEFORE:.......... ( 9 ) HOW DO YOU FEEL TO BE A
WINNER:..........
Sincerely,
MR. Nkosi Johnson.
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
FLASH FORTUNE LOTTERY.
2nd Floor SABC
Radio Park Building
P.O. Box 91711,
Auckland Park, 2006 Henley Road.
Johannesburg, South Africa.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam