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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • ",500,000" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "paul Essien" <paulessien2005@gmail.com>
Reply-To: pessien5@adinet.com.uy
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 14:26:26 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend,


Dear Friend,

My name is Mr.Paul Essien a political activist and consultant.I am the
treasurer of my party's executive committee on Financial matters presently
exiled in Ghana.

My aim of contacting you is to crave your indulgence to assist us in
securing some funds abroad for safe keeping which incidentally was kept to
help us Finance the forth coming elections in my Country.Fortunately with my
immediate assistance, and contact,we were able to deposit the money in a
security company vault in Ghana private goods pending when the fund would be
needed.

The need to contact you arose from the fact that the present government is
cracking down on all oppositions,trying to trace all the funds and
properties owned by our members and party faithfuls.However If they succeed
in tracing these funds to us,they will seize it thereby incapacitating our
quality campaign plans.We wish to relocate this fund in a foreigner's name
urgently to avoid any trace.Therefore all I need from you is an assurance
that you can handle these amount valued (US$19,500,000) confidentially.

I would want you to handle this proposal with utmost care and understanding
because our election is forth coming and any misfortune will affect us
adversely so your maximum cooperation will be most appreciated.

Yours sincerely,
Paul Essien

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam