joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Sgt. David Walter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davidwallterr2@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:04:07 +0100
Subject: From Sgt. David Walter

Dear Sir/Madam,

Good day and compliments, I know this letter will definitely come to
you as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go
through it carefully as the decision you make will go a long way to
determine my future and continued existence. Please allow me to
introduce myself.I am Sgt. David Walter,a member of the US 3rd
Infantry Division ‘Iron’ Brigade Combat Team,remaining at Mahmudiyah in
Iraq. I am desperately in need of an assistance hence i summoned up
courage to contact you.

Also, I do hereby wish to crave your indulgence for your time to visit
the BBC website as stated below to enable you have the brief insight
as to what I’m intending to share with you, believing that it might
interest you one way or the other.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ middle_east/2988455.stm

Meanwhile,I am presently in Iraq and I found your contact particulars
in an internet address journal.I am seeking your assistance to receive
the sum of $50 Million(Fifty Million USD) as far as I can be assured
that it will be safe in your care until I complete my service here.
This is no stolen money and there are no dangers involved.

I have successfully moved the fund through a diplomat to a better
secured place very close to you. I do not know for how long I will
remain here as I have been lucky to have survived two suicide bomb
attacks by Pure Divine intervention. This and other reasons put into
consideration have prompted me to reach out for help.

Get back to me after visiting the e-mail to enable us discuss in
details and also do not misconstrue my intention. I’m just being very
strict and careful.

Respectfully,

Sgt. David Walter

Anti-fraud resources: