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:
  • "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. )
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "30% for you " (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • ramedu_55@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "B.Razak Mohh" <ramedu_77@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:15:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE-INVESTMENT


RE-INVESTMENT.    
 
  BENEFICIARY

 
         This may come to you as a surprise, Please know that I am writing you with utmost confidentiality and I hope you treat this email as such. On October 15, 2003, our client Mr. Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah who was the deputy governor of Baghdad in Iraq and also business man made a numbered Fixed Deposit for 12 Calendar months, with a value of Four Millions Five Hundred Thousand Pounds (£4.500,000.00) in a security Company in Europe Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even after the war .
Another notification was sent and still now no response came from him. We later find out that the Governor has been assassinated in Baghdad.
The websites below is a verification of the news about his death:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr//1/hi/world/middle_east/3970619.stm
http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=6979.
       After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in this firm. According to the British Law, under foreign and defense affairs, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, such funds will revert to the ownership of the British Government account for financing military operations, such as purchasing of arms and ammunitions for the military.

In order to avert this negative development, I will like to seek for your permission as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah so that the fruits of this old man¢s labor will not be use for financing weapons which will further enhance the courses of war in the world in general.The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 30% for you and 10% for Expenses Incurred in the course of the transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately. On acceptance to assist us, you will be required to travel to Europe to meet with the Security Company IMF to take delivery of the Consignment in your capacity as the Beneficiary.
We will give you further details on the take over proceedure.There is no risk involved whatsoever as everything has been perfected to ensure a hitch free transaction. We shall have to sign a working agreement with you in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to protect both parties in this transaction.

Awaiting your urgent reply.
   Thanks
 
FRED HINKLEMAN
EMAIL   ramedu_55@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam