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: john england <johnengland111@johnengland566.co.cc>
Reply-To: john.england23@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:43:37 +0100
Subject: MATTER OF URGENT


Dear Friend,

I am writing this mail to seek your help and assistance in a project that
would benefit us.
My name is John England from the hospitality state (Mississippi). I am an
army contractor attached to the US Military force in Iraq for the sole
purpose of reconstruction work in some parts of Iraq.
As you very well know, Iraq is gradually undergoing a rebuilding process in
some parts and there is much need for reconstruction, which is were I come
in. I evaluate the level of destruction and offer professional advice in
line with the way they intend rebuilding.
Work has been so risky no doubt, and challenging as sometimes, we are faced
head with armed insurgent where we lose some soldiers during confrontation.
I have had my own share of losses as I lost a friend whom I have known for
12 years.

On the 10th day of July 2009, at about 1100hrs during a normal inspection
routine along Haifa Street, where there is long thoroughfare of high-rise
buildings which were built and occupied by the late Saddam Hussein while he
was still alive. I, along with 3 soldiers proceeded to a marked site and as
I commenced evaluation work while I was closely guarded by soldiers, I
discovered an unusual bulge in a cellar, which I presumed to be a storage
room and I decided to have a go at it, and discovered five (5) metal boxes
piled on top one another which were locked with a padlock each. Upon forcing
the boxes open, I discovered several guns, armor and amongst, two boxes
contained bullets, one filled with hard drugs (heroine) and the other two to
my amazement contained some US Dollars which amounted to $23.2M after I and
two of the soldiers counted them for several hours. I believed that the
boxes are owned or are linked to the Al Qaeda and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

However, I instructed the soldiers that went inside with me to keep this in
high secrecy, so that we could have the money to our selves and they all
agreed to the plan. We have hidden the two boxes that containing the US
dollars in a safe and untraced location ready to get them out of this
country and this is where you come in. I am now in desperate need of a
"Reliable and Trustworthy" person like you who would receive, secure and
protect these boxes containing the US Dollars for me till my assignment here
elapses.

We cannot afford to leave the boxes here for any reason, since Iraq is
getting unsafe and dangerous everyday despite how our president is handling
issues here. We have no idea what could happen next as everything remains
inconclusive at this point.
I am aware of what your thoughts would be next but don’t conclude that
yet. I am not from any authority that would want to set you up just that I
need your help and I assure you that this deal is 100% risk free and I
promise to give you 10% of this fund, however feel free to negotiate what
you wish to have as your percentage in this deal. Please, I want you to
assure me that you are going to keeping this matter topmost secret within
us.

In a nutshell, contact me through this my private email address:
johnengland1948@live.com

I wait to hearing from you so urgent.

My Sincere Regards,
John England.

Anti-fraud resources: