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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: Michelle Gilmore <michellegilmore@journalist.com>
Reply-To: <michellgilmore@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2015 02:20:08 +0100
Subject: Hello dear friend ,



--

Hello dear friend ,

My name is Michelle Gilmore , I'm Journalist covering and reporting
the crises in Aleppo Syria. I'm single, I really thought so deeply
before contacting you regards this confidential issue now which will be
profitable for both of us if we agree and understand ourselves better.
Please I want to know the current economy of your Country and the most
profitable investment I can invest some funds. This is confidential
issue,please promise me that you will never disclose this to any body
until my fund is secured . I was on duty on 27th of last month inside
Damascus the capital of Syria to cover some event , I discovered a cave
and when I proceed inside to know what is happening there.

I discover a huge heap amount of cash which some group of militants
want to use to purchase ammunition's and other deadly weapons for mass
destruction. I covered the place with my cameras and other gadgets
before about 7 people apprehended me and collected my cameras with
other gadgets, to withheld all the data I captured on the scene and
started threaten to kill me but I pleaded with them to save my life
which they did by asking me not to publish the pictures I captured to
the media. They offered me a token sum of $12.7 Million dollars to
destroy the firms and other offensive evidence I hold against them .

They insisted that they will kill me if I reject their offer , then out
of fear I agreed with them to take the money from them to save my life.
I managed to move the cash out from Syria to London through a help of a
Red Cross staff who was going out from Syria to pick medical items for
war victims but I did not tell him that the content of the 2 boxes is
cash for security reason and I need your understanding and co-operation
now to receive this cash in your address so that we can invest the cash
in any profitable investment you wish and use the rest to help the poor
around us. My happiness is that nobody knows about this cash accept only
you, even the Red Cross staff who moved out the boxes out from Syria.
Please reply me urgently with your receiving address where you wish to
receive the boxes as soon as possible.

I will give you 30% from the total sum of $12.7 million once you
received the boxes. I complete my work here very soon, we shall meet in
your country for proper disbursement, sharing and investment in your
Country. Please I trusted and count on you regards this important issue.
I'm waiting for your urgent reply to enable us move forward.

Regards,
Michelle

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