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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
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.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- 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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Ruth Merkle Kloos" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ruthmerk23@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 02:59:49 +0100
Subject: Hello, Beloved...
Beloved.
I'm a German business woman dealing with gold exportation in Burkina Faso and my husband is now late who started the business with me Mr. Merkle Adolf Kloos aged 74 years old, who committed suicide on January 6th 2009 after his business empire ran into trouble in the global economic financial crisis.
Please refer to the news website below to read more about my late husband.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7814257.stm
I am diagnosed with ovarian cancer disease which doctors have confirmed that I have just few weeks to leave, Now that I'm ending the race this way, without any trusted family member and no child as my 4 children dead in car accident after the death of their father and I have decided to hand over the sum of (US$2.5) Two million five hundred thousand dollars) I keep in a security company for save keeping. i want you to contact the security company to claim the money and use it for donation to orphanage homes/the needy ones in your location to fulfill my wish on earth.
past years before my illness i have been of team who visit so many countries for misinary services visiting sick ones, orphanages and prisoners. but i have not been to india before. that is why i want to use my fund for the purpose i contacted you for. presently i'm here in the hospital taking treament and waiting for the day to join my Lord.
Kindly assure me that you will take only 25% of the money and share the rest to those whom i mentioned here.
Remain Bless
Mrs. Ruth Merkle Kloos
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Anti-fraud resources:
