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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: "Ted. W. Johnasson" <ted_wcquters@msn.com>
Reply-To: ted02_1952@o2.pl
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 07:56:05 +0000
Subject: My Offer

Dear Friend,

I got your contact through my personal research.

As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because I believe
everyone will die someday. My name My name is Theodore W. Johansson, I am a
62 year old US Army Lieutenant Colornel (Retired), I am the President of
Residential Enterprises, Inc which is now located at (64 Edwardel Road
Needham, MA 02492, I am a merchant in Dubai, I am also the owner of T.J
Drillings Bangkok Thailand.

I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer that was discovered very late,
due to my laxity in carrying for my health.

It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now I have only about a few
months to live, according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived
my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my
business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous being a soldier, I was
always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the
only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this, as I now know that there
is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the
world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I
would live my life a different way from how I have lived it.

Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my properties
and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few
close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul and so, I
have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one
of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to
some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Brazil, Algeria and Malaysia. Now
that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self any more.
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute
the money that I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and
Pakistan, they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not
trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contented with what I have left
for them. The last of my money, which no one knows of, is the huge cash
deposit of 1.5 million dollars, which I realized from my T.J Drilling Inc.

I have this amount with a Safety Firm in LONDON UK, I deposited it purposely
to execute a contract I for the Togo Government (installation of pipe lines)
I want you to help me collect this deposit of $ US 1.5 Million Dollars and
dispatched half to charity organizations and half for your organization too.

Email me soon to inform me your preparedness to do this work of God. Please
pray for me as you receive this email.

I need your immediate reply.

God be with you.

Theodore W. Johansson


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