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:
  • "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "% of every payment" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• 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.
  • agentjimuna@aol.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Con Oil and gas LTD"<conoil_gas@mail.ng>
Reply-To: <agentjimuna@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 21:55:05 +0100
Subject: INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED.

Top of the day to you.
Let me crave your indulgence to introduce myself to
you I am Mr Ayomide Markus president/founder of Con Oil
and Gas Ltd.

we are OPEC members who deal on crude oil and raw materials
and export into the Canada/America and Europe.
I will want to solicit for your assistance to help
collect a cheque that is due for payment to us for
services and supplies we rendered.

Please if you are willing to assist, i will want you
to furnish me with your particulars, so as to enable
me give you further details. Please sir, you have to
be an honest and trusted person, as more payments will
be made through you in the course of this transaction.

And moreso you will be entitled to 10% of every payment
that you are able to recieve for us from our customers.
Please contact us for more information via email with
the below informations filled out.

NAME.............................................. ..................
RESIDENTIAL
ADDRESS........................................... ..........
AGE:.............................................. ..................
STATUS:........................................... ..................
STATE/COUNTRY........................................... ............
TEL/FAX NUMBERS........................................... ...........
COMPANY NAME.............................................. .........
OCCUPATION........................................ .................


We look forward in working with you, as you send your response back
to us.


Reply Email:agentjimuna@aol.com

Mr Ayomide Markus
Con Oil and Gas Ltd President/Founder
www.conoil.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam