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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: john uwalaka <john_uwalaka2014@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <johnuwalaka644@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:59:02 +0000
Subject: NEXT OF KIN/Attn:Sima



Mr.John Uwalaka.Lagos NigeriaEmail:
ATTN:Sima
I am Mr.John Uwalaka,the personal Secretary to Mr.David Sima , a national of your country, who used to work with shell development company. On the 21st of April 2000, Mr David, his wife and their only child were involved in a car accident along Lagos- Ibadan express Road and all of them died. Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of his extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to contacted you to assist in repartrating the money and property left behind by Mr.David before the security company where he deposited the money could confisicate or declare it unserviceable.Particularly,the security company where the deceased had an account valued at about 10.5million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next fourteen business days.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at 10.5million dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money. 60% to me and 40% to you. I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to backup any claim we might make.
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us to see this Business through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law,hence the business is 100% risk free.
Please get in touch with me immediately to enable us discuss this further and I will let you know what and what to do for action to commence.
It shall be well with you.
Best regards,
John Uwalaka.

_________________________________________________________________
Make every IM count. Download Windows Live Messenger and join the i’m Initiative now. It’s free. 
http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=TAGWL_June07

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam