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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM MRS ADAMS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsagnesandkid12700000@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:16:32 -0700
Subject: From Mrs Agnes Adams

From Mrs Agnes Adams

Please let your correspondence be on my personal email account
mrsadams1270000@yahoo.com.hk

Dear Beloved Friend,

This business proposal to you is strictly confidential, with due respect. Sorry at this perceived confusion or stress may have receiving this letter from me, Since we have not known ourselves or met previously. Despite that,I am constrained to write you this letter because of the urgency of it.By way of self introduction, I am Mrs.Agnes Adams, the wife of late Brigadier - Gen.Zamani Adams former ECOMOG ARMY COMMANDER West African peacekeeping force in Liberia who died in the Liberia civil disturbance [War]. My daughter and I is trapped in obnoxious custom and traditional norms.

We have suffered maltreatment and untold hardship in the hands of my late husband's family, simply because I did not bear a male child [heir apparent] for my late husband. By tradition, all that my late husband had, [wealth] belongs to his brothers/family. And myself is to be remarried by his immediate younger brother which I vehemently refused. They have taken all that I suffered with my husband to acquire including treasures, houses and his bank particular seized by them.


I wanted to escape to your country with my only child on exile, but again they conspired and stole my international passport and other traveling document to further frustrate me. Thank God, two weeks ago, I received Key Text Code from a Security Company IN EUROPE that my late husband deposited U.S $15.5 Million cash with this company. It has therefore, become very necessary and urgent to contact someone, a foreigner like you to help me receive/secure these funds overseas in a reliable bank Account (presumably an empty Bank Account, if available) and to help invest it on our behalf as well,while we find a way of getting out to meet with you in your country.


These funds are kept on an "OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE"with the Security Company in EUROPE to avoid detection, seizure or diversion. Ihave had several telephone discussions with the Director of the security company in EUROPE, who has express willingness to help me on meeting the company's demands. This is why I have contacted you to help save me and my only child to receive these funds on our behalf. But, you would need to give me sufficient assurance that if you help me, you would not divert the funds. Me and my child have resolved to give you 30% of the total sum and 10% set aside for any expenses that occure by you will be refunded back to you. For this is all me and my child have got to live on.

Please, I have reposed my confidence in you and hope you will not disappoint me. I look forward to your urgent response, including your full mailling address indicate your private phone / mobile numbers and also your fax number for easier communication.

Please note that this project is 100% risk free but you must keep it very secret and confidential with strong assurance that you will not let me down at all.

NB: The secret codes and the Pin Number for this fund are safely kept with me which I can give you as soon as you express desire to help me.

Stay blessed.

MRS AGNES ADAMS

Please let your correspondence be on my personal email account
mrsadams1270000@yahoo.com.hk

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