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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:

Fraud email example:

From: Susan Douglas <douglassusan54@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: susan.douglas1@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:40:22 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Greetings


Dear friend
 
I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I came
across your profile from my personal search and I believe that you will be
honest to fulfill my final wish before I will die.
 
My name is Mrs. Susan Douglas from London, i am deaf and suffering
from a long time cancer of the brain. From all indications my condition is
really deteriorating and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not
live beyond the next two months; this is because the cancer has reached a
critical stage.
 
I was brought up in a
motherless baby's home and was married to my late husband for twenty years
without a child but quite unfortunately he died in a fatal motor accident. Since
his death I decided not to re-marry. I sold all my inherited belongings and the
fund I made when I was heavily importing cocoa to Europe and deposited the sum
of $3.6million dollars with a financial institution. Presently, this money is
still in their custody and the management just wrote me as the Legitimate
beneficiary to come and receive the money after keeping it for so long or rather
issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I
can not come over as a result of my illness or they get it confiscated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been
undergoing treatment. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have
told me that I have only a few months to live.
 
It is my last wish to see that this money is invested in any
organization of your choice and distributed each year among the charity
organization, the poor and the motherless baby's home. I want a good
humanitarian to also use this money to fund orphanages and widows around. I must
let you know that this was a very hard decision but I have to take a bold step
towards this issue because I have no further option. I hope you will help see my
last wishes come through.
 
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
financial institution and I will also issue you a letter of authority which will
prove that you are the new beneficiary of my fund. Please assure me that you
will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you
soonest.
 
Awaiting your urgent reply.
 
Yours beloved sister,
Susan Douglas.

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