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: "UK ROYAL AWARD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Richardwillson231@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:43:07 -0700
Subject: Urgent Response Needed---

Dear Friend

I know you are not expecting this letter but I want you to go through it and understand my reason of contacting you.

My name is Celine Herman,the wife of Anderson Herman from London.
We were four(4)that made up the family Me,My husband,my Son Dave and the last girl Janet but we all lived in Rio de Jeneiro

where my husband worked.

My husband worked with Petrobras, a Petroleum and Energy Company based in Rio de Janeiro, RJ before his demise.

On the 26th of November 2006 my husband was involved in a ghastly motor accident in Sao Paulo, SP with our only Son Dave and

He(my husband) survived while Dave our Son Died.Later in the month of March 2007 My husband passed away leaving me with my

only daughter Janet who will be sixteen (16)by June.

Now,my health is seriously deteriorating and I want to place my daughter in a position she will not suffer because the

condition I am seeing myself now,I cannot predict what the next minute might be.

Right now I am in a sick bed as the doctor warned me from receiving telephone call but when my doctor told me to try my best

and fix my daughter up before it is too late on a discussion we had the hours I was relieved,I perceived what He was saying

coupled with my condition and that is why I have decided to contact you to ask you for this.

My husband left a fortune with us before he finally passed away but I will want to invest it on behalf of my daughter in a

foreign land with someone I can trust who will take care of my daughter both her education and give her a future as my

age/health will no longer warrant me.

My husband gave me the documents of the sum of seven million dollars ($7,000 000.00 USD) He deposited in a security company

which I intend to use part of it to help the less privileged and the other to go to my daughter and whoever that can take

care of her education as well as invest the money in their country on her behalf.

I want only the Sum of two million($2,000,000.00 USD)to be sent to the less privileged home and others to be for my daughter

and some percentage to you.

I want you to get back to me so that I can give you the contact of the security company where this fund is deposited to

enable you proceed with the release arrangement immediately.

When I read from you,we can talk on the terms on whichever way you might want it to enable me know what to do about that.

I await your Reply,

Yours Faithfully,
Celine Herman

Anti-fraud resources: