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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: <gloriacaldwell@pobox.sk>
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:16:13 +0200
Subject: hello


hello
>From Mrs. Gloria Caldwell
Greetings

I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I came across your email contact from my personal search and I instructed the doctor here in this hospital to help me email you and I believe that you will be honest to fulfill my final wish before I will die.
 
I am Mrs. Gloria Caldwell from LONDON, I am 58 years old, I am deaf and suffering from a long time cancer of the breast, which also affected my health. From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two months, this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was brought up in a motherless baby’s home, and was married to my late husband for twenty years without a child. My husband and I are true child of God, but quite unfortunately, he died in a fatal motor accident.
 
Since his death I decided not to re-marry, my late husband inherited and deposited  the sum of $7.2million dollars with a Fiduciary Fund Holders  West Africa. Presently, this money is still in their custody, and the management just wrote me as the Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to received the money after keeping it for so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to received it on my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my illness, or they get it confiscated. Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live.
 
It is my last wish to see that this money is invested in any organization of your choice and distributed each year among the charity organization, the poor and the motherless baby’s home where I come from. I want your good humanitarian, to also use this money to fund churches or mosque, orphanages and widows around. I must let you know that this was a very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this issue because I have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Fiduciary Fund Holders. I will also issue you a letter of authority, which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you soonest
Yours in God,
Mrs. Gloria Caldwell

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