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: ritha john <ritha_john@att.net>
Reply-To: ritha_jo2007@rediffmail.com
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:38:36 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FROM: Mrs RITHA JOHN


DEAR BELOVED IN CHRIST

GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. PLEASE,AS YOU READ THIS LETTER,I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL SORRY FOR ME BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE EVERYONE WILL DIE SOMEDAY. I AM MRS RITHA JOHN. A WOMAN FROM KUWAIT.I AM MARRY TO MR PHILIP JOHN A CITIZEN OF COTE D IVOIRE, WHO IS THE INTERNATIONAL EXPORTER OF COCOA BASED IN ABIDJAN COTE DIVIRE.WE WERE MARRIED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD.HE DIED IN DECEMBER 27TH 2005 AFTER THE BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED ONLY TWO WEEKS.

BEFORE HIS DEATH WE ARE HAPPY HUSBAND AND WIFE IN CHRISTIAN FAMILY.SINCE HIS DEATH I DECIDED NOT TO REMARRY OR GET A CHILD OUTSIDE MY MATRIMONIAL HOME WHICH THE BIBLE IS AGAINST IT.WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS ALIVE,HE DEPOSITED SUM MONEY IN A PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN ABIDJAN COTE DI VOIRE.


RECENTLY MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I HAVE CARDIAC PROBLEM WHICH AFFECTED MY HEART.AND THE MOST IS MY STROKE.AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I WON'T LIVE MORE THAN THREE MONTHS ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS,THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE.MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND AFTER HIS DEATH, I INHERITED ALL HIS BUSINESS ACCESS.

MY DOCTORS HAS ADVICED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS.SO, I NOW DECIDED NOW TO DEVIDE THE PART OF THIS WEALTH,TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH IN AFRICA,AMERICA, ASIA,EUROPE.AND HELP OF THE MOTHERLESS BABY AND WIDOWS.

NOW THE LORD HAS CALLED ME TO REST MY LIFE WITH HIM IN HEAVEN MEANWHILE, I AM WILLING TO DONATE THIS MONEY (USD 7.3) SEVEN MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS TO YOU FOR THE USE OF GOD CHARITY WORK IN YOUR CHOURCH AND TO HELP THE WIDOWS, MOTHERLESS,AND REFUGEE IN YOUR COUNTRY .I AM ASKING OF YOUR ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATELY I FINISHED MY PRAYING AND FASTING TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ABOUT THIS MATTER TO CONSULT ME A PERSON WHO WILL NOT BETRAY ME IN THIS MONEY WHEN HE/HER WILL GET IT FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY. AND ACCORDING TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU TO HELP ME OUT FOR THIS MATTER.HERE IS MY INSTRUCTION STATED BELOW.

(1)I WILL LIKE YOU TO PRMISE ME THAT YOU WILL USE THIS MONEY FOR THE HELP OF CHARITY WORK.

(2)PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY ME AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS MONEY FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY

(3 AND ALSO PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL NOT DEPART FROM MY INSTRUCTION FOR THIS MONEY.

FOR THE REASON, I AM GIVING YOU THE CONTENT OF THE DEPOSIT IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.THIS IS THE CONTENT OF THE DEPOSIT IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.FIRST CONTENT.MY LATE HUSBAND DECLARED IN THE SECURITY COMPANY THAT THE BOX CONTAIN OUR FAMILY VALUABLE FOR SECURITY REASON.THE SECOND CONTENT.HE SAID THAT NOBODY SHOULD OPEN THIS BOX ACCEPT ME HIS WIFE MRS RITHA JOHN FOR A REASON.

MEANWHILE I HAVE NOT TELLING ANY BODY THE CONTENT OF THIS DEPOSIT IN THE SECURITY COMPANY REASON THAT I WANT YOU TO HELP ME OUT ACCORDING TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THIS ISSUE. I AM NOT DOING BY MY POWER BUT THE POWER OF THE HOLLY SPIRIT WHO DIRECTED ME TO YOU.

MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND MAY YOU SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR.

I AWAIT FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY SOON.

YOURS SISTER IN CHRIST.
RITHA JOHN

Anti-fraud resources: