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: "Ms. Theresa Victoria" <mrajie@live.com>
Reply-To: <theresavictoria1@btinternet.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:54:38 +0300
Subject: Re: Hey Please Get Back To Me Now,

Hey Dear,

I live at 7, Dennis Lane , Stanmore, Greater London, HA7 4JR which I had placed for sell. I am an orphan and a single lady originated from United States of America, I have lived in London for over 15 years doing my Real Estate Business.
I have been battling with cancer and recently my Doctors informed me that I may not live for the next three months and advised that I put my affairs in order and make plans for my transition to meet the Lord.

This is why I am now writing to you. I deposited the sum of One Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars in a bank here in London and the management has contacted me to get a beneficiary to the funds since am too ill. I have decided to donate this fund to you, provided you shall agree to utilize this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows propagating the word of God to the farthest distant land. The Lord says that we shall be preachers of his words from Samaria to Judea and to the extremities of the earth.

Presently, I am in a hospital where I am undergoing treatment, if you would work strictly on my wishes, send me your Full Name, Contact Phone, Occupation and Address, I will inform the hospital Attorney to seal up these funds on your name and you can deal with the bank directly to enable them wire my funds to you.

I have a phone number, but because of my poor health, I may not be able to speak with you all the time, but if you must speak with me, the hospital Attorney would assist me. He is well informed of my decision.

Sincerely,
Ms. Theresa Victoria.
Mark's Hospital
London.

Anti-fraud resources: