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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Pearl Cole" <pearlcole02@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: pearlcole01@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 08:12:56 -1000
Subject: MY LAST HOPE

Dear Friend

Greetings in the name of God,Pls let this not sound strange to you for
my only surviving lawyer who would have done this died early this year.i
prayed and got you email id from your countrys chambers of commerce which i
have been with my late huband and liked to visit once more if God will in
his infinite mercies.

I am Mrs.Pearl Cole,I am 51 years old,i am deaf and suffering from a
long time cancer of the breast which also affected my brain,from all
indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious
that,
according to my doctors they have advised me that i may not live for
the next two months,this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very
bad
stage.

I was brought up from a motherless babies home, was married to my late
husband for twenty years without a child.My husband died in a fatal
motor accident.Before his death we were true Christians. Since his death I
decided not to re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all
the sum of $18.5million dollars with a Security Company.

Presently, this money is still with them and the management just wrote
me as the true owner to come forward to receive the money for keeping it so
long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on
my behalf since I can not come over because of my illness or they get it
confisticated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been
undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my
ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to
live. It is my
last wish to see that this money is invested to any organisation of
your choice and distributed each year among the charity
organization,the
poor and the motherless babies home where i come from.I want you God
fearing, to also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and
widows.

I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my time will soon
be up. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company.I will also issue you a letter of authority that will
prove you as the new beneficiary of my fund. Please assure me that you will
act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hearing from you soon.
Waiting for
your reply.

Yours in Christ,
Mrs.Pearl Cole


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