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:
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Barbara Johnson" <bjohnson014@gala.net>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:17:59 +0000
Subject: From Mrs Barbara.


From Mrs Barbara.

My Dear,

It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I and my Son
Collins,intend to establish in your country.

Though I have not meet with you before but I believe,one has to risk
confidence in other to succeed sometimes in life.There is this huge amount
of ($10,000,000.00) million U.S dollars which my late Husband kept for us
in a Bank in Abidjan before he was assasinated by unknown persons.

Now I and my son have decided to invest these money in your country or
anywhere safe enough outside Africa for Bank and political reasons.We want
you to help us claim and retrieve these fund from the Fiduciary Fund Holders
and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment
purposes on these areas:

1). Telecommunication
2). the transport industry
3). Five star hotel
If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer to you 15%
Of the total fund

I await your soonest response

Respectfully yours,

Mrs. Barbara Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam