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:
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "tarfa williams" <tarfawilliams146@gmail.com>
Reply-To: princewilliams2001@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 20:07:28 -0700
Subject: MY EFFORT TO CONTACT YOU IS IMPORTANT(REPLY)


OUR GREETINGS TO YOU,


IAM TARFA WILLIAMS FROM SEIRRA LEONE AND RESIDING PRESENTLY IN EUROPE

WITH MY MOTHER (A WIDOW). WE ARE STAYING AT A REFUGEE CAMP WAITING FOR AN

ANSWER TO OUR APPLICATION FOR POLITICAL ASSYLUM, DUE TO THE CIVIL WAR IN

MY COUNTRY IN WHICH I LOST MY FATHER ALHAJI HAMMED WILLIAMS AND MY

SISTER, THE WILL HAVE BEEN READ PROMPTED ME TO CONTACT YOU.


I NEED A TRUSTWORTHY AND HONEST INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD BE READY TO HELP MY

FAMILY INVEST OUR FUND WISELY AND PROFITABLY OUR INHERITANCE IS VALUE AT

$100,000,000.00 ( ONE HUNDRED MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) FROM MY LATE

FATHER. THIS FUND HAS BEEN SECURED WITH A PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANY IN

EUROPE.


TO CLAIM THIS FUND FROM THIS SECURITY FIRM I HAVE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS

INCLUDING THE CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT AND THE ORIGINAL COPIES OF THE BANK

STATEMENT FROM MY LATE FATHERS' LAWYER. IN THE DESIRE TO INVEST THIS FUND

WE WILL APPRECIATE A STABILE COMPANY WITH GROWTH POTENTIALS.


WE WISH TO INVEST THIS FUND IN YOUR COMPANY OR ANY OTHER COMPANY OR

PROFIT ORIENTED VENTURE UNDER YOUR ADVISE AND SUPERVISION. YOU ARE THE

HOPE OF THIS FAMILY AS THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, DUE TO OUR STATUS

HERE. YOU WILL OF COURSE BE ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED WITH 30% FOR YOUR

EFFORT, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS AS SOON AS YOU ACCEPT TO HELP US IN THIS

REGARD. I WILL BE WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION ABOUT MY FAMILY AS SOON

AS WE RECEIVE AN ACCEPTANCE MAIL FROM YOU.


YOU SHOULD ALSO SEND US YOUR COMPANY'S FLYERS OR PROFILE INCLUDING SOME

HINT ABOUT INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY. HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON WHILE

THANKING YOU IN ANTICIPATION.


BEST REGARD.
PRINCE TARFA WILLIAMS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam