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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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 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.
  • rev.graysmith01@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Cepeda, Luissanna" <CepedaL@alfredstate.edu>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:33:51 -0400
Subject: NATIONAL CASH-OUT LOTTO BV

NATIONAL CASH-OUT LOTTO BV
CASH-OUT PLAZA, SUITE 1102A
PO BOX 42 PETERBOROUGH
PE3 8XH, UNITED KINGDOM
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRICE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
Our Ref: ILP/HW 47509/02
Dear Lucky Winner,
We are delighted to inform you that your EMAIL ID attached to ticket number:275189657/2305 with Serial number 8756-NBUK05 drew the lucky numbers 11 13 26 34 44 48 and bonus ball number 2. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of Nine Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Eight Hundred and Ten Pounds (£915,810.00) in cash credited to file with Ref.NO. BLF/0073883/07. For more informations about your winnings and claim of prize,
contact your claim agent with the below
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM filled by you.
-------------------------
Contact Agent Rev.Gray Smith
EMAIL: rev.graysmith01@yahoo.com.hk
-------------------------
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM FILL AND SUBMIT TO THE FIDUCIARY AGENT FOR FOLLOW UP
1.TEL:
2.SEX:
3.AGE:
4.NAME:
5.ADDRESS:
6.COUNTRY:
7.OCCUPATION:

Yours Sincerely,
Anton Brooks
Co-ordinator Online Promo Programm

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam