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 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)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:33:44 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY,


GOOD DAY,

MY NAME IS KOFFI PATRICK FROM IVORY COAST. I AM THE ONLY SON OF MR & MRS
PATRICK , I WANT YOU TO HELP ME AND MY YOUNGER SISTER INVEST IN YOUR
COUNTRY. I LOST MY MOTHER AT THE AGE OF 10, MY FATHER WAS
POISONED TO DEATH DURING THE WAR HERE IN COTE D'IVOIRE. BEFORE THE DEATH OF
MY LATE FATHER HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF 7MILLION DOLLARS IN A PRIVATE
SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN COTE D'IVOIRE OF WHICH I AM THE BENEFICIARY.

BUT DUE TO THE POLITICAL PROBLEM HERE AND THE REASON BEHIND MY PARENTS
DEATH; I WILL NOT WISH TO INVEST HERE, SO I WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME TRANSFER
THIS FUND TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE.
AS FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU A GOOD %. CONTACT ME
BACK IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ASSISTING ME, I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ON
HOW TO BRING FRUITFUL OF THIS TRANSFER.

REGARDS,

KOFFI PATRICK

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam