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: "Mrs. Karen Ronald" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drbg3232@live.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010 08:00:48 +0100
Subject: I Am Anxiously Wait Your Reply,

Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Atos Medical B.V.Postbus 475 7200 AN
Zoetermeer Netherlands.
Hospital.
Dear Friend,
I am Mrs. Karen Ronald, age 63 years old,i am the wife of  late Mr. Robert Ronald,which i got your information from his old diary,we are both  from United State Of America, my husband worked with the Oil and Gas Company Chevron/Texaco in Africa for twenty years before he died after he was release from the kidnappers,We were married for twenty-nine years without a child.
 
My Husband died after a brief illness that lasted only four days. Before his death we were both born again Christians, When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US $5.5million dollars.with  a bank in Africa.Presently, this money is still with the Bank and the bank and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to sign for the release of this money or rather issue! That somebody to receive it on my behalf  if I can not come over.
 
Presently, I'm in a hospital in Netherlands where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer of the breast and Pneumonia. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few weeks to live. It is my last wish to see this money distributed to charity organizations and people that are in need of help anywhere in the World That why I have contacted you to help me receive this funds as my next of kin,Pleas i need your urgent reply so i can give you my late husband deposit information and to let the bank know that i have choosing you as my next of kin to receive this funds on my behalf.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Karen Ronald
I anxiously wait your response
Thanks and god bless you,
 

Anti-fraud resources: