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: "Christina Egli" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <christinaegli70@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:11:39 -0800
Subject: hi

Hello,
 
I got your esteem contact out of a desperate search. I am Mrs. Christina
Egli from sweden, I am 69 years old and suffering from a long time cancer,
from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite
obvious that i can't work or do any thing stressful. According to my
medical oncologist,  I may not live beyond the next two months due to my
peculiar health situation.
 
I was brought up from a motherless babies home was married to my late
husband for twenty years without a child. My Husband (Robert Egli) died in
a fatal motor accident. Before his death we were true Christians. Since
his death I decided not to re-marry. Due to my health, I sold all my
inherited belongings and deposited all the sum valued at Twenty Million
United States Dollars with one of the Financial Institution in Spain for
safe keeping because I thought I was going to survive this cancer and use
the money for the less priviledged.  But God has the final authority.
Presently, am using my laptop at the hospital in London UK where I have
been undergoing treatment for my ill health and have since lost my ability
to talk efficiently. I have decided to donate this fund to either a
charity organization or motherless baby home.
 
However, the the management of the bank having reviewed my condition, just
wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather
issue a letter of authorization  to somebody to receive it on my behalf
since I can not come over because of my illness. I have preferred to
donate this fund to a God fearing Philanthropist who would use the funds
to the betterment of the less privileged. Instead of forfeiting the funds
to the bank for their selfish interest, I rather have someone whom I can
trust to receive the funds and utilize it according to my wishes and my
visions since I do not have the opportunity again to do this myself.
 
It is my last wish to see at least 50% of this money invested/donated to
any charity organization of your choice .All I seek for is an honest and
God fearing person, who is willing to carry out my wishes and ensure that
my  funds are not confiscated by the financial institution out of their
selfish interest. All I need from you is a confidential assurance that the
funds when recieved by you will be used as instructed and for the purpose.
 
Nowadays there are too many untrustworthy people around the world but God
has directed me to you and believing that you are the right person for
this purpose. If you find this letter offensive, please ignore it and
accept my apology.
 
Waiting for your reply and remain blessed.
 
Yours sister,
Christina Egli

Anti-fraud resources: