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: MIRIAN WILLIAMS <mirian2@btinternet.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:47:02 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Donation For The Work Of God / Remain Blessed In The Lord




>From Mrs Mirian Williams.
N°38 Rue Des Martyrs Cocody
Abidjan,Cote d'Ivoire.
 
DEAREST ONE OF GOD,
 
Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ,i know that God will grant you the willingness and interest to digest this humble narration,though it might be strange to believe my story but i know by the reasoning of the Almighty you will humbly understood and accept to proceed with my proposal though we have not met or seen each other before.
 
My name is Sister Mirian Williams, a widow to Mr Benson Williams who was a competent business man here in Abidjan Ivory Coast,we were married for many years without child till his death in October 2007 after a brief illness,due to the promise which i revered to him on the alter at the day of our church wedding i decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which is against the holy bible.
 
My happiness is that my late husband lived a life of a true & worthy Christian and he has this plan before his death which he pleaded with me to appropriate it to accomplishment,he took this decision with me to use this fund in building an orphanage in his name that will accommodate thousand's of children,and also to use part of this fund in helping the less privileged and to spread the gospel of the Lord to the remote places of the world.
 
I am interested and willing to use this fund for the propagation of God‘s work in any form whether for Charity,ministry evangelical work, building of church, clinic, school,orphanage,library and drilling of water for the local community,widows,old aged people,and people living with HIV AIDS who can not afford to pay for health threatment,or any other thing in relation to God‘s wish,but not for war or unbelievers (muslem).

My late husband deposit the sum of $2.5 Million (Two Million Five Hundred U.S. Dollars)in the bank here in Abidjan Ivory Coast in a fix deposit account,recently my Doctor told me that i would not last for the next 6 months due to breast cancer problem,the one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness,having known my condition i decided to seek for a competent and reliable God fearing person or church to entrust this fund to utilize in the way i narrated above as my late husband desired,to endeavor that the house and gosepel of God is maintained worldwide.
 
The bible made us to understand that "it is more blessed to give than to receives",i took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are fighting over the properties and i don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by their greedy attitude,i don't want a situation where this money will be used in an UNGODLY manner,this is the reason for taking this bold decision and vow,i am not afraid of death since i am a good christian and i know that i am going to be in the bosom of the Lord,the bible says in the book of Exodus 14 VS 14 that the Lord will fight my case and i shall hold my peace.
 
I don't need any telephone communication in regard of this issue due to my illness and because the presence of my husband's relatives around me always,i don't want them to know about this development,with God all things are possible.
 
As soon as i receive your reply i shall give you the contact of the Bank in Abidjan,i will also issue you an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of this fund,i want you and the church to always pray for me,i know that the Lord is my shephard,whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve Him in spirit and truth.
 
Please always be prayerful all through your life,contact me immediately you received this message because any delay to reply will give me room in sourcing another humble servant of God for the same purpose,may God bless you as you assure me holeheartedly that you will act accordingly as i Stated in my letter.
 
Please be aware that this message is written by Sister Helen the staff nurse,she is the only person that is aware of this union for now,hoping to receive your reply soon.

 
Remain Blessed In The Lord,
Yours Sisters In Christ,
Sister Helen On the Behalf Of Sister Mirian Williams.

Anti-fraud resources: