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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mrsrose_mkama@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:05:17 +0000
Subject: Dearly Beloved

Dearly Beloved,

I am Mrs. Rose Mkama from Sгo Tomй and Prнncipe, I was
married to late Mr. Patrick Mkama the CEO of PAT CAT Oil Mining &
Exploration. I am 58 years old; I am suffering from a long time cancer of
the breast which has affected my talking & hearing lately. The cancer has
reached a critical stage, so my doctors have courageously advised me to
indulge in Prayers as well because it is clear that I would not live past
the next two to three months. I was raised in an orphanage Home, and was
married to my late husband for twenty years without a child.

My husband and I are true Christians so after his death I decided not to
re-marry, he died in a fatal motor accident which I know is political
motivated because of his venture in the new oil industry. I sold all my
inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of US$28,300,000.00 with a
Bank.

Presently, the money is still with the bank, and I received a letter from
the management of the holding bank as the real depositor urging me to come
forward to receive the money after keeping it for such a long or rather
issue a letter of approval or power of attorney to somebody to receive it on
my behalf or the management will confiscate the funds.

Frankly, I can not come over as a result of my illness; I'm with my laptop
in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment. 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 in any Charitable
Organization of your choice and distributed each year among the Charity
organizations and Orphanages, so I want a good humanitarian to use this
money to fund Churches, Needy and Widows in Sгo Tomй and
Principe or in your Country but preferably in Sгo Tomй and
Principe. I must let you know that this was a very hard decision, but I had
to take a bold step towards this issue, and I hope you will help see my last
wishes come true.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall use the little money I have for my
drugs and media-care to procure and issue you a letter of authority which
will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds and I shall release
the contact of the Bank to you.

Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. I hope to
hear from you soonest if you are willing to handle this project

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Rose Mkama.



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