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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "melissa mayers" <info@melissamayerssierraleone.net>
Reply-To: m.mayers@cheshiremail.com
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 22:26:22 +0000
Subject: GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

I AM MISS Melissa Mayers, NOW Melissa Mayers, A WIDOW
TO LATE Johnson Mayers . I AM 61 YEARS OLD,
I AM NOW A NEW CHRISTAIN CONVERT, SUFFERING FROM LONG
TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST, FROM ALL INDICATION MY
CONDITIONS IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE
OBVIOUS THAT I WON?T LIVE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS,

ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS, THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER
HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE. MY LATE HUSBAND KILLED
DURING THE U.S. RAID AGAINST TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN,
AND OUR MARRIAGE PRODUCED NO ISSUE.

MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND I INHERITED ALL
HIS BUSINESS AND WEALTH. THE DOCTORS HAVE SAID THAT I
MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, SO I DECIDED TO
DIVIDE PART OF THIS WEALTH AS CONTRIBUTION TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICA, AMERICA, ASIA,
AND EUROPE. I SELECTED YOU AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO THE
INTERNET AND I HAVE PRAYED OVER IT. I AM WILLING TO
DONATE THE SUM OF US$14,000.000.00 TO THE LESS
PRIVILEGED.

I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT THIS FUND IS LYING IN A
SECURITY COMPANY AND UPON MY INSTRUCTION,BROTHER
ANTHONY WHO PRESENTLY IS IN LONDON DISTRIBUTING
RELIEF MATERIALS TO VICTIMS OF BOMBLAST IN
SIERRA-LEONE, WILL FILE IN AN APPLICATION FOR THE
TRANSFER OF THE MONEY IN YOUR NAME.

LASTLY, I FERVENTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN
TRANSFERED WILL BE USED FOR THE SAID PURPOSE,BECAUSE I
HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUT
CHRIST IS VANITY. MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS, THE
LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY.
I AWAIT URGENT REPLY.

N/B: REPLY ME THROUGHT MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX
m.mayers@cheshiremail.com

YOUR'S IN CHRIST.
MRS Melissa Mayers.


Anti-fraud resources: