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:
  • "million us 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)
• This email message is a orphan 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.
  • +27766080654 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • dougest1990@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Johnson Douglas" <dougfarms1973@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 23:42:53 -0700
Subject: From: Mr. Johnson Douglas


From: Mr. Johnson Douglas
Contact Phone: +27766080654


You may be surprised to received this letter from me because you don't know
me in person, I am Mr. Johnson Douglas, the only son of late Mr. Desmond
Douglas, who was murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe, I was furnished
of your profile from the International Trade Center here in Johannesburg
South Africa and I decided to contact you for assistance.

Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg South Africa,
where he made a deposit of a consignment containing a total sum of
US$15,000,000 (FIFTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS), in a private security and
Finance company, as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe . This
amount was meant for the purchase of chemicals and tractors for the
development of our new farms in Swaziland , Namibia the Neighboring country
to Zimbabwe .

My family and I who are currently residing in South Africa as political
asylum seekers decided to transfer our fathers money to any foreign account
since the South African law prohibits refugees (asylum seekers) to operate
any type of bank account or to be involved in any huge financial
transaction.

As the eldest child of my father, I am seeking for a genuine foreign partner
who can help us transfer this money in to his or her oversea account. We are
therefore faced with the intention of investing this money in your country
for good investment as a businessman whom I will entrust my future and that
of my entire family in his or her hands, I must let you know that this
business is completely 100% risk-free, as we cannot accept to venture into
any dangerous deal with our fortune.

If you therefore accept to assist us, I will be glad you indicate your
interest soon as possible for further details

Please I will appreciate you keep this transaction highly confidential for
my safety and for the interest of this transaction. Note all arrangements
have been made to conclude this transaction soon as you show your interest.
For your kind assistance

I have mapped out 20% for you and 60% for my family and I, while 10% will be
set aside for any expenses that might incur during the cost of the
transaction. Please should this meet your outmost consideration; please send
your response with your direct number in our family joint e-mail account so
that my step mother and sisters will understand your willingness and ability
to assist us (dougest1990@yahoo.com )
Yours truly,
Mr. Johnson Douglas
(For the family)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam