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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +447024039368 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447005942218 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • matthew_barrett@web2mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3amatthew_barrett@web2mail.com

Fraud email example:

From: Barrett <barrettmatthew1@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: matthew_barrett@web2mail.com
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:23:43 -0700
Subject: GOOD DA


BARCLAY'S BANK OF LONDON PLC
UK,LONDON.
INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER.LEICESTER CURRENCY
CHEQUE/DRAFT DEPARTMENT
TELEGRAM: BBLFOREX
TEL:+447024039368,+447024056171
FAX: +447005942218
EMAIL: matthew_barrett@web2mail.com

Dear sir,

I am Mr Barrett Matthew,The Branch Auditor of BARCLAY'S BANK OF LONDON PLC
UK,LONDON. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for
you. On December 29th 2000, an American oil consultant/contractor with the
Government of BENIN Republic, Mr. Werner Branch made a numbered time
(Fixed) deposited for twelve calendar months, valued at $25,830,000.00
(Twenty-five Million eight hundred and thirty Dollars) in my branch.Upon
maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no
reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract employers, that Mr. Werner Branch died in an automobile accident.
On further investigation, I found out that he did not leave a WILL and all
attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further
investigation and discovered that Mr. Werner Branch did not declare any next
of kin in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit
paperwork.

This sum of $25,830,000.00 (Twenty-five Million eight hundred and thirty
thousand Dollars) is still sitting in the bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
come forward to claim it. According to the laws of the country, at the
expiration of 5 (five)years, the money will revert to the ownership of the
Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand
in as the next of kin to Mr. Werner Branch so that the fruits of this old
man s labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt officials. This is
simple, I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names and
address so that an Attorney (lawyer) will prepare the necessary documents
and affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin.We shall
employ the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of a "WILL"
and obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in
your favor for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world, which
you will provide, will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as
the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for
us to share.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the Attorney and my position as the Branch Auditor guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction.If you are interested, please reply
immediately via the
private:matthew_barrett@web2mail.com<private%3Amatthew_barrett@web2mail.com>Upon
your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand and also I shall let you know how
the percentage I will offer you for your assistance. Please observe utmost
confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most
profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest
my share in your country.

I am waiting for your urgent reply via email. (matthew_barrett@web2mail.com)

Yours truly,
Barrett Matthew.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam