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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Tony Anthony" <tonyanthony6@peru.com>
Reply-To: tonyanthony200@peru.com
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 21:04:46 +0100
Subject: LETTER OF ASSISTANCE


*Dear Friend, *
**
* My name is Mr.Tony Anthony 57 years of age I am compelled to contact
you as result of a lifetime business relationship I wished to establish with
you honorable self. I am a God fearing gentleman of the confidence that God
will certainly create an enabling environment in our midst through which his
name will be glorified. *
**
*I am the Eastern regional Auditor General of the Ghana commercial Bank Ltd
Of Ghana. I am a Christian. I write you this letter in good faith believing
both of us will work with one accord for the realization of this project.. I
am in control of the sum of Twelve million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand
US Dollars ($12,850,000.00) that was an excess of profit made by our Eastern
region branch office in the last quarters of the year 2007. *
**
*Due to the present political position of this country, I have carefully
placed the afore said fund in an Escrow Call Deposit Account and did not
declare this to my head office, Can I really trust you to hold this money
for me until I arrive your country and pick it up myself? This is where the
problem lies. You will be entitled to 10% of the total money as your
commission if you will be human enough to work with me.. If you accept my
offer you can **contact me immediately via my personal l email address .* *
tonyanthony200@peru.com*
**

*All I need is your formidable current account where the money will be moved
accordingly. I will discretely give you all the information concerning the
account and the deposit so that you can apply to my headquarters directly
for the re-location of the money. There is practically no risk involved it
will be a bank-to-bank transfer. I hope you understand my situation. *
**
*Thank you and God bless. *
*Very truly yours, *
*Mr.Tony Anthony
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam