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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: sedwards428@gmail.com
Reply-To: lafuentimario@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:56:33 -0600
Subject: Re: CONTACT MY SECRETARY IMMEDIATELY.

Hello My Good Friend,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail finds you in an excellent condition of health. Wonder if you do not remember me, you have received an email from me in the past regarding a multi-million-dollar business proposal which we never concluded.

I am using this opportunity to inform you that the multi-million-dollar business transaction has been concluded with another Greek Merchant who financed it all to a successful logical conclusion. I thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transfer of funds into your account, due to one reason or the other best to known to you at that time.

Due to the sincerity, and trust worthiness you showed during the course of the transaction by keeping it confidential and not blowing my cover, I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $2,500,000.00 (Two and Half Million US Dollars). I have left an instructions for your payment with my Secretary, Mario Lafuenti.

My dear friend I will like you to contact my secretary, and arrange with him to receive this money. At the moment, I am very busy here in South America, trying to invest my share of the funds with my new partner.

Please, I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart.

CONTACT: Mr. Mario Lafuenti.
ADDRESS: No. 46-Alpha Heights, Port Alfred, South Africa.
EMAIL: (lafuentimario@gmail.com)

Send him your full Names, telephone numbers and contact address for his reference and make further arrangements with him on how to receive your check.

Thanks in appreciation of your past efforts and God bless you.

Truly,

Dr. Smith Edwards.

Anti-fraud resources: