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: "Mrs Halima Sufian Al Alao" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <halimasurfi01@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:05:03 -0000
Subject: Dear Beloved

Dear Beloved,
I am glad to know you, but God knows you better and he knows why he has directed me to you at this point in time so do not be afraid, I am the above named person Mrs Halima Sufian Al Alao, I am from Damascus Syrian Arab Republic, presently seeking asylum in Burkina Faso with my sickness due to Syrian political affairs, Please I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my heart, I want to tell you this because i don't have any other option than to tell you because I never knew things would turn this way as I was touched to cry out and open up to you. I have been working as Ministry of Economy and Trade for 16years before i became sick and very unwell to continue the work that I started with my beloved husband...I’m married to Dr. Sufian Al Alao, We were married for 31 years with a child of 14years old Son. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since his death, I decided not to re-marry or get a
child outside my matrimonial home. When I was the Ministry of Economy and Trade in capital city of Damascus Syrian, I deposited the sum of Eight Million Nine hundred thousand United States dollars (US$8,900,000) in a Bank. Presently, this money is still with the Bank. I made this money available for exportation of cotton, and clothing.
 
Unfortunately, recently my doctor told me that I would not last for the periods of next few months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand you over this money to invest in a manufacturing and real estatemanagement industry in your country,for the benefit and education of my son Sufian Jr, you will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want you to take 35% Percent of the total money for your personal use While the remaining 65% for my son who will be staying under your kind custody until he is matured enough to take care of himself. The reason because I grew up as an Orphan and i don't have anybody as my family member, I am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and accept my soul because this sickness has suffered me so much. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank and I will also instruct the bank lawyer to issue
you a WILL" that will prove you the present beneficiary of the fund in the bank, which is if you assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein,
 
Waiting to receive your response very urgentely.
halimasurfi@gmail.com
 
Sincerely
Mrs Halima.

Anti-fraud resources: