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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: "MRS SHELLA BURNS" <aranyite3@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: aranyite5@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:26:17 -0300 (ART)
Subject: MY BELOVED.






MY BELOVED.

GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. I AM MRS SHELLA BURNS FROM
FRANCE, A WIDOW TO LATE JIM BURNS I AM 49 YEARS OLD, I AM NOW A NEW
CHRISTIAN CONVERT, SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST, FROM ALL
INDICATION MY CONDITION IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS
THAT I WON'T LIVE MORE THAN 2 MONTHS, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS, THIS IS
BECAUSE THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY WORST STAGE.

MY LATE HUSBAND AND MY ONLY CHILD DIED LAST FIVE YEARS ,HIS DEATH WAS
POLITICALY MOTIVATED. MY LATE HUSBAND WAS A VERY RICH AND WEALTHY BUSINESS
MAN WHO WAS RUNING HIS COCOA BUSINESS COTE D'IVOIRE AND AFTER HIS DEATH, I
INHERITED ALL HIS BUSINESS AND WEALTH. MY DOCTORS HAS ADVISED ME THAT I
MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN 2 MONTHS, SO I NOW DECIDED TO DEVIDE THE PART
OF THIS WEALTH, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICA,
AMERICA,ASIA,AND EUROPE. I COLLECTED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS DURING MY
DESPERATE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND I PRAYED OVER IT.

I DECIDED TO DONATE THE SUM OF $4,000,000.00 USD( FOUR MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS) TO THE LESS PRIVILEDGED BECAUSE I CANNOT TAKE THIS MONEY
TO THE GRAVE. PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT THIS FUND IS PRESENTLY LOGED
IN METALIC BOX AND DEPOSITED IN SECURITY COMPANY IN IVORY COAST WEST
AFRICA .THOUGH THEY DID NOT KNOW THE REAL CONTENT OF CONSIGNMENT. IT WAS
REGISTERED AS FAMILY VALUABLE TREASURES

ONCE I HEAR FROM YOU, I WILL FORWARD TO YOU ALL THE INFORMATIONS YOU WILL
USE TO GET THIS FUND RELEASED AND THE STORAGE COMPANY WILL DELIVER THE
PACKAGE TO YOUR DOOR STEP. I HONESTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN DELIVER TO
YOU,WILL BE SURELY USED FOR THE SAID PURPOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO FIND
OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUT CHRIST IS VANITY. MAY THE GRACE OF OUR
LORD JESUS THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY.

PLAESE CONTACT ME SO THAT I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS

YOUR BELOVED SISTER IN CHRIST.
MRS SHELLA BURNS

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