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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: Gerald Johnson <geraldjhjh4@gmail.com>
Reply-To: geraldjhjh1@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:49:23 +0400
Subject: From Gerald Johnson..



With Due Respect

How are you doing? I am desperately in need of assistance and I have
summoned up courage to contact you regardless of confidentiality. I
found your contact particulars in an address journal.First of all;I am
Gerald Johnson, Manager of a bank in Wales .I wish to notify you that
i have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. A
deceased man,Late Mr.Martin Hembrecht who was a Gold and oil Dealer
made a huge numbered (Fixed) Deposit,in our bank.Upon the maturity of
his fund, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply. After some months, I sent a reminder to his forwarding
address, and was told that he died from an automobile accident. I
therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not
declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.I decided to contact
you because of your good name in the society so that we will secure
and invest the money in any lucrative business e.g Real Estate, Hotels
or any business you know better in your country, i believe that we can
handle the situation together.Basically i want to present you as the
beneficiary to the inheritance to claim the money with all the legal
papers which will be processed in your acceptance to this deal. If you
are interested,then i request that you kindly forward to me your
acceptance Notification;your current telephone and fax numbers and a
forwarding address to enable me file necessary documents for the
release of this sum of money in your name as the beneficiary.Then in
my next mail,i will give you the remaining details and all the
documents,both his deposit certificate and death certificate for your
perusal which will enable you to understand everything regarding this
deal.Please contact me for further details of the funds.
Gerald



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