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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: Tom Benson <irvinshawn1973@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Tom Benson <tom40ben@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2016 09:35:02 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: From Tom Benson, Please reply me fast



Good Morning.

My name is Tom Benson. I am 17 years old from Republic of South Sudan. I am now an orphan due to the death of my parent and three siblings. My parent and three siblings were victims of the present crisis that is still going on in my country South Sudan. It was a very sad incident and an unbearable loss. May there soul rest in perfect peace. After the death of my parent and three sibling i ran out of my country to a refugee mission camp in a neighboring country called Ivory Coast just to safe my own life. Now i want to leave this country to your peaceful country so that i can further my education with the money my late father had in his bank account. My late father deposited some money totaling Ten million US dollars in the bank (US$10,000,000.00). Because of my age and limited status, i want you to help me stand before the bank as my guardian overseas so that the bank can transfer the money to your safe bank account as the document of deposit of the funds has stated I can only have access to the funds when I am 30 years old or provide a guardian to receive and invest the funds on my behalf. I came across your contact email address while searching through the web business directory for someone who could be of great help to me, who could help me stand before the bank as my guardian and as my late father's overseas partner with all sincerity. I saw your contact and i decided to contact you to seek for your kind help. I have succeeded in locating the bank where my late father deposited the money and identified myself properly and also informed the bank about the sad fate my parent and three siblings had suffered. The bank confirmed the deposit since I was also listed as the next of kin though I shall only be legally entitled to the funds when I get to the age of 30 years or alternatively have a guardian take custody of the funds on my behalf with my consent to help me invest it. I want to present your name to the bank as my guardian and my late father's overseas business partner so that you can receive the money in your bank account on my behalf and after that you will help me to come over to your country.

It is true that i do not know you in person and we have not seen each other before but i pray that you will have it in your heart to assist me with all sincerity and honesty. I plead your understanding so that i can present your name and information to the bank as my late father's overseas business partner so that the bank can contact you officially for the transfer of the money to your bank account. After receiving the money from the bank you will help me and invest it properly in a profitable business and also manage the investment until i am capable. Please if you can assist me then you can send your information that the bank can use to contact you so that i can make your name available to the bank as my late father's overseas business partner and guardian that will attest on my behalf for the release of the money. I am willing to give you any amount or percentage which you will wish to have after helping me achieve my dream of relocating to your peaceful country with this money. I hope with your experience i can have the money successfully transferred to your peaceful country and i will have a better life to live in your country under your guardianship. Thank you and remain blessed with your family as you help me achieve my dream under your guardianship. Waiting for your reply and information to my email: tom30ben@yahoo.com

Sincerely,
Tom Benson
(Cote D'Ivoire)
Email: tom30ben@yahoo.com

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