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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Rosemary Helen <mhelen1333@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mhelen1370@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:14:20 +0000
Subject: Good Day ,,,





Good Day ,

Your mail was received, let me fully introduce myself, my name is Mrs. Rosemary
Helen., a well known business woman. I am 69 years old, living in The
Southern Part of Wales (United Kingdom). I am a successful business
woman, owning some industries and companies, with some good stocks in
various banks. I have spent all my life, investing in co-operate
businesses and real-estates until the death of My husband and two of our
beautiful kids in a ghastly car accident that took place sometimes in
mid November 2003.


I must say that after the death of my
family, I became a workaholic and very greedy with businesses and I
presume that is what lead to my present ordeal. I stopped caring for
people around and forgot how to live. However, my abuse of alcohol and
tobacco increased and that lead to another problem when in early 2005,
February to be precise, I got a letter for medical checkup after a brief
illness. After wards, I was told by my personal Doctor, that I have a
cancer of the lungs, which according to her, would not allow me to live
longer anymore. Ever since then, doing businesses has become uneasy as I
am frequently in and out of the hospital for treatments, medications
and Chemo-therapy sections.


In light with the above, I have since,
started attending to a local church and presently made some substantial
donation to the church. It actually felt good. Therefore, I have
recently, consulted the pastor for a private counseling. I have told him
my life story and we prayed together and after wards, he gave me an
advice which is my reason of contacting you at this moment.

His advice was this:

That the Lord will grant my soul mercy
if I could help the needy people, homeless, orphans and less privileged
homes that need this money. Including Business women and men for
investment, whereby most of the earnings will be used in helping less
privileged families and people. I have sold my companies, houses and
other assets. Coupled with my bank accounts, a substantial amount at the
estimate of (£1.200.000.00 GBP ) is realized for this project.


I will introduce you to
my private lawyer whom I have set up all arrangements with for further
discussions. As you know, I am a born again and so much with God’s work.
Therefore, I would appreciate it a lot, if you are a God fearing human
with a good heart.


May the good God bless you, as you
reach me, please I wish to remind you, that you should not belong to
scammers or any act of fraudulent as the God sees and knows everything,
He surely will point you out. Therefore, be as honest to me as possible
and our God will do the rest.


With best Regards,
Mrs. Rosemary Helen.

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