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: Lewis Smith <lmsmith451@gmail.com>
Reply-To: lsmith178@qq.com
Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2013 17:27:05 -0700
Subject: DETAILS



Hi,

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet
met. Firstly, I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pain.
My name is Mr. Lewis Smith, a European merchant. I have been diagnosed with
Prostate and Esophageal cancer that was discovered very late due to lack of
caring for my health. It has defiled all form of medicine and right now, I have
only about a few months to live according to medical experts. I have not
particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even
myself but my business.Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was
always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that was the only
thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more
to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.


I use to say to my self that if God should give me a second chance I would live
differently from how I have lived. I was meditating on my hospital bed and
something told me that God is giving me a second chance by keeping me alive
though doctors said I won’t last long. I know my time is near, that’s why I
have willed and given most of my properties and assets to my immediate and
extended family members as well as some few close friends.So far, I have been
able to give alms to a few charity organizations in the U.A.E, London, Sudan,
Zimbabwe I gave donations to the Global Fund for Children, GCF and I met two
people over the internet that have successfully distributed my funds to charity
organizations in their country. Now my health is deteriorating so badly, I
really need you to help me distribute the last of my fortune. I want this to be
one of the last good deeds I do on earth.


You might be wondering why I did not pick my close relatives for this task, but
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and donate the
money there to a charity organization in Bulgaria. They closed the account but
refused to donate the money to the organization, but instead shared the money
amongst themselves. From the way they are acting around me, something tells me
they want me dead so they can split my last remaining assets and money. Hence,
I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be content with what I have
left for them.


The last of my money which is a huge cash deposit that I have with a security
firm will be put in your care if only you will agree and are capable of seeing
this through. I want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatched it to
charity organizations of your choice and let them know that it is I, Mr. Lewis
Smith that is making this generous donation. I am writing this from my laptop
computer in my hospital bed where I wait for my time to come. I pray for you to
support and assist me with a good heart. I hope we can build a relationship
based on trust because I want to do this by all means possible before I die.But
the choice is yours Please you can contact me through this email address:
lsmith178@qq.com


Be blessed my beloved,
Lewis Smith
lsmith178@qq.com

Anti-fraud resources: