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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "location where the money will be remmitted" (a common phrase found 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: "isausman009 Gazeta.pl" <isausman009@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: isausman29@yahoo.ie
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:40:55 +0000
Subject: READ AND REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY.


*FROM MR ISA USMAN
BILLS AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,
BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO.
DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE NEVER MET BEFORE.

*
*I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF ($18.5
MILLION DOLLARS
UNITED STATES).AFTER HEARING FROM YOU I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETIALS ABOUT THE
TRANSACTION, AND APPLICATION WHICH YOU WILL FORWARD TO THE BANK,*
**
*and I agree that 40% of this money will be for you as a respect to the
provision*
*of a foriegn account , and 60% would be for me Thereafter, I will visit
your country for disbursement according to the percentage indicated
Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you arranged,you
must apply first to the bank as relation or next of kin of the deceased
indicating your bank name, your bank account number, your private telephone
and fax number for easy and effective communication and location where the
money will be remmitted.*
*IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE REPLY ME WITH MY PRAVITE EMAIL ADDRESS
isausman29@yahoo.ieIMMEDIATELY.*
**
**
*I YOUR FULL NAME; ...........................*
*2 YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS......................*
*3 YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER............................*
*4 YOUR PROFESSION..................................*
*5 YOUR AGE..............*
**
*MR ISA USMAN*
*BEST REGARDS*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam