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: "Melissa Pointer" <projectfortheneedy_13@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 07:26:29 +0000
Subject: BELOVED IN CHRIST (ASSISTANCE)

PLEASE REPLY ONLY TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL BOX BELOW.
(melissa_pointer3012@yahoo.co.uk )
Dear Beloved in Christ,
It is by the grace of God that I received Christ,Having known the
truth, I had no choice than to do what is lawful and right in the sight
of God for eternal life and in the sight of man for witness of God´s
mercy and glory upon my life.
I am Mrs Melissa Pointer the wife of Mr Harry Pointer, my husband
worked with the Chevron/Texaco in Kenya for twenty years before he died
in the year 2001.We were married for twenty-seven years without a
child.
My Husband died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days.
Before his death we were both born again Christians.
Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my
matrimonial home which the Bible is against. When my late husband was
alive he deposited the sum of US $3.5M. (Three Million
Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) with a Bank in Europe.
Presently, this money is still with the Bank and the
management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to sign
for the release of this money or rather issue a letter of authorization
to somebody to receive it on my behalf if I can not come over.
Presently, I'm in a hospital in Kenya where I have been undergoing
treatment for esophageal cancer. I have since lost my ability to talk
and my doctors have told me that I have only a few
weeks to live. It is my last wish to see this money distributed to
charity organizations any where in the World.
Because relatives and friends have plundered so much
of my wealth since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of
entrusting
this huge responsibility to any of them. Please, I beg you in the name
of God to help me Stand and collect the Funds from the Bank.
I want a person that is God fearing that will use this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows propagating the word of God and to
ensure that the house of God is maintained. The Bible made us to
understand that blessed is the hand that giveth.
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit
this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want
my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I don't
want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner.
Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am
not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am
going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the
lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace. I don't need any
telephone communication in this regard because of my soundless voice
and presence of my husband's relatives around me always.
I don't want them to know about this development. With God all things
are possible. As soon as I receive your reply I shall
give you the contact of Attorney who is in Europe as he will be the
one to assist you in laying claims for this funds .
(melissa_pointer3012@yahoo.co.uk)
Yours in Christ,
Melissa Pointer
BELOVED


--

Anti-fraud resources: