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.Elissa Lewis." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.ElissaLewis1@luckymail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2010 13:45:29 +0200
Subject: CAN I TRUST YOU

Calvary Greetings,

Please read this slowly and carefully, as it may be one of the most important emails you ever get.I am Mrs. Elissa Lewis from Greece .I was married to Late Mark Lewis.The Director of
Vikhroli Link.Ltd,a seasoned contractor in West African Region. He died on Monday, 31 July 2003 in Paris.We
were married for seven years without a child. After his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home.
When my late husband was alive, he has over the sum of $5.2 Million USD in banks and security companies
in Europe, which is yet unclaimed.My Doctor told me that I would not last long due to cancer problem that befallen me.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this funds to better the lives of the less privileged. I need
honest and trust worthy individual that will utilize this money in accordance with my instruction.

I want the funds to be used in funding religious organizations, orphanages and less privileged propagating
the word of God. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my
husband relatives are very unkind to me and I don't want my husbands hard earned money to be misused.
I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the
Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my course and I shall hold my peace. As soon as I
receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank, and my attorney also with a copy of the WILL.for legitimacy, he will also issue you a letter of authority that will empower
you as the original-beneficiary of this fund. I want you to always pray for me, any delay in your reply will give
me room in sourcing for another individual for this same purpose. If you are not interested, kindly pardon me
for contacting you.reply to this Email Address,mrs.ElissaLewis1@luckymail.com.

Thanks,

Yours sincerely,
Mrs.Elissa Lewis.

Anti-fraud resources: