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: "MRS JEAN BROWN" <jeanbrown877@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: jeanbrown_1960@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 11:19:22 -1000
Subject: FOR HUMANITY

Dear Good friend.
I don,t really know who you are ,but peace be unto you as you read this
letter. My Instinct tells me that I can trust you by my proposition.I got
your contact through internet directory and My Instinct directed me to send
this money to you.
I am a widow and a devoted christian, my name is MRS JEAN BROWN from UNITED
KINGDOM. Since my husband died ,I have been suffering from arthritics and
lately doctors have diagonised me with terminal cancer which left me with
approximately twelve months to live.
I am currently on wheelchair and being looked after by a nurse and some of
my late husband`s relatives in turns.Before my husband died,he left some
money to the tone of USD$4,800,000,00(Four million ,eight hundred thousand
dollars)and he made me promised him that it should be used for humanitarian
work,because we have no children and he does n,t want his brothers to lay
hand on it,since they don’t believe in God, they have a different vision.
This money is currently in a vault with a finance company in EUROPE. If you
will promise me that you will use this money to achieve the wish of my
husband and me,then I will instruct the bank to release the content of the
vault in your name. for us to discuss so that you can go and claim this
money before i die.
May God bless you as you walk in the light and glory.
Thank you.
Yours in Vineyard
MRS JEAN BROWN



Anti-fraud resources: