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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: "Widow. Snatkina" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <widowsnatkina@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 13:14:24 +0700
Subject: [SPAM 90.30] Widow Anfisa Snatkina.

I am a Widow Anfisa Snatkina. My late husband was the formal chief financial officer of Thailand Oil and Gas Ltd. 2006, we lived together in Bangkok Thailand (Asia), He was killed during the riot which took place in Bangkok, Thailand between red shirt and black shirt in 2009. Dear it took me a time to summon courage before mailing you, am suffering from long time cancer, my condition is serious and according to my late husband's doctor, I might not survive it. Before the death of my husband, he deposited five million three hundred thousand dollars (USD$5.3M) with ACCOUNT NUMBER #8877990988.
 
After disclosing this secret to me in his hospital bed, he gave me a certificate of deposit he used in Depositing Fund, he told me that the reason why he told me about this secret fund was because after his death, he knows his family will not allowed me to inherit any of his wealth or property, because I don't have a child for him, my late husband told me that I can get the fund claim through the help of a foreigner.
 
It's obvious my disease is critical, I'm scared and I want the fund used for investments between you and me, I prayed to God and asked him to direct an honest person who will receive this fund and use it along with me for the things that will celebrate the name of God, after my prayers, I decided to contact you.
 
Please, I will appreciate you send the following information to enable my late husband attorney Barr Rob Wantana who will stand as your representative here in Thailand, to assist in process and obtain all the necessary documents that will backup your claim.
 
1. your full name.
2. Your contact address.
3. Your telephone/fax numbers for prompt communication.
 
I await to here your urgent reply.
 
Thanks and God bless you.
 
Widow Anfisa Snatkina.

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