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: "Mrs.Ameena Ahmed" <ameena_amhed6@msn.com>
Reply-To: ameena_amhed1234@hamptonroads.com
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 18:23:58 +0000
Subject: GOOD.........DAY

Greeting

My name is Mrs. Ameena Ahmed, widow to late Mr. Hassan Ahmed former owner of
Petroleum and
Gas Company, here in Kuwait, I am 68years old, Suffering from long time
cancer of the breast,
>From all indications my condition is really Deteriorating, and it's quite
obvious that I
Won't live more than 2 months according to my Doctors, this is because the
cancer stage has
gotten to a very bad stage, I don't want your pity, but i need your trust.

My late husband died early last year from heart attack, and during the
period of our marriage we
Couldn't produce any child, my late husband was very wealthy, and after his
death, I inherited all
his business and wealth, The doctor has advised me that I will not live for
more than 3 months,
so I have now decided to spread all my wealth, to contribute mainly to the
development of
charity in Africa, America, Asia and Europe, am sorry if you are embarrassed
by my mail,
i found your e-mail address in the web directory, and i have decided to
contact you,
but if for any reason you find this mail offensive, you can ignore it and
please accept my apology.
Before my late husband died he was a major oil tycoon, in Kuwait and
deposited the sum of 12
million dollars (Twelve million dollars) in a company in Canada some years
ago, thats all i have left now, I need you to collect this funds and
distribute it yourself to charity, so that when i die my soul can rest in
peace, the funds will be entirely in hands and management, i hope God gives
you the wisdom to touch many lives, that is my main concern.

Please 20% of this money will be for your time and effort, while 80% goes to
charity. As soon as I hear from you, the contact of the finance company
where the fund is will be given to you, ok?

I wait to hear from you. Through this email address for confidentiality.
Thanks for your concern.

God bless you.
Mrs. Ameena Ahmed


--

Anti-fraud resources: