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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: Helen Wenger <wengerhelen594@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Helen Wenger <helen_wenger@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2014 07:37:36 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I need your help to distribute these funds to the orphanage /
babies houses homeless mother


MY DEAR FRIEND

 
Good morning.
 
My name is Mrs Helen Wenger I'm a 54 years old woman from Belgium I was a merchant and owned two businesses in Dubai. I was also married with two children. My husband and two children died in a car accident four years ago.
 
Before this happened, my business and concern for making money was all I live for. I never really cared about other values in life. But since the loss of my family, I have found a new desire to assist helpless families.
I have been helping orphans in orphanage/motherless homes.
 
I have also donated some money for humanitarian needs in Sudan, South Africa, Cameroon,  etc
 
I was moving with great pity and compassion that I decided to make this contribution on assisting people over the world , I kept ($8 Million United States Dollars) in a long-term deposit in the bank account in London
 
Presently, I'm in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment for oesophagi cancer at Bright Life Memorial Hospital Belgium I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only few months to live.
 
It is my last wish to see this money distribute to victims of orphans in orphanage homes/motherless babies homes and other charity organization. all relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my illness, I cannot live with the agony entrusting this huge responsibility to any of them.this is my private mail box: (helen_wenger@yahoo.com)

 
Please, I beg you  to  help me  to collect this deposit and  distribute it accordingly.
Use your judgment to distribute the money and keep 10% of it to yourself. Feel free to reimburse yourself when you have the money for any cost you incur during the process of collecting and distributing the money.
If you are willing to help, please reply as soon as possible. May the good lord bless you
 
 
Regards,
yours sister
Mrs Helen Wenger


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