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: "mrslinda johnson" <mrslindajohnson@walla.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: merittrustbankplc@excite.com
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:29:28 +0000
Subject: donate to the needies.



Hello,
My name is Mrs.Linda Johnson a widow and a dying woman who
have decided to donate what I have to you/ church. I am 59
years old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 2 years
ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has
left me everything he worked for.I have been touched by my
spirit to donate from what I have inherited from my late
husband to the you for the good work of God, rather than
allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds
ungodly. Please pray, that the good Lord forgive me my
sins. I have asked God to forgiveb me and I believe he
has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in
for an operation in less than one hour.

I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $1,500,000
(One million five hundred thousand dollars) to you
for the good work of the lord, and also to help the
motherless and less privilege and also for the
assistance of the widows. At the moment I cannot
take any telephone calls right now due to the fact
that my relatives are around me and my health
status. I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer
is aware I have changed my will you and he will
arrange the transfer of the funds from my account
to you. I wish you all the best and may the good
Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the
funds well and always extend the good work to
others.Contact my lawyer at;gmadvocate@excite.com

Contact him and tell him that I have WILLED
($1,500,000.00) to you by quoting my personal
reference number;gdm/WILL/9834520012/06 and I
have also notified him that I am WILLING that
amount to you for a specific and good work.
I know I do not know you but I have been
directed to do this.
Account number is 0020134243241 and account
name is Mr Dennis Johnson.
Thanks and God bless.NB: I will appreciate your
utmost confidentiality in this matter until the
task is accomplished as I don't want anything
that will jeopardize my last wish. And Also I
will be contacting with you by email as I don't
want my relation or anybody to know because they
are always around me.

Regards,
Mrs.Linda Johnson.








Anti-fraud resources: