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: "Mrs.Maria A.Victor" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mariamark04@56788.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:16:00 -0500
Subject: Good Day My Friend

Hello Dear,
 
Good day friend,this massage mighty come to you as suprise but i chose to reach you through internet because it still remains the fastest medium of communication though this medium internet has been greatly abused.
Please give me this little chance to explain myself to you, I would have like to meet you face to face before departing from this mother earth but due to the illness continue to deprive the chance but even if I die on the process of this operation I will still praise ALMIGHTY.
 
My name is Mrs. Maria M.Victor I am a dying woman and i decided to donate what I have to you for charity work/assistance to less privileged people in the society.I am 49 years old and I was diagnosed of cancer for about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for and because the doctors told me that I will not live longer than some weeks because of my health, I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $1,500,000( One million five hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of the  Lord,helping the motherless,less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows in general etc.
 
Before my husband dead,he inform me that he had some deposit with Switzerland bank but i was unable to complete the bank required formalities as a result of my health that is why decided to donate the money to assist poor people and charity homes. If you believe  that you can handle the money as REQUESTED,then you have to arrange for claim to a Swiss bank, there is a fairly simple procedure to follow, depending on the date the account was opened and my lawyer will guide you on the required procedures.Below is the website for your kind reference. website:  www.crt-ii.org/2001_list/publication_list1_A.phtm
I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others should in case I did not survive this major operation I am about to go through now, but all I need now is prayers.
I will like you to Contact my lawyer for all the assistance you need to get this money transferred to you. (Bar William Johnson) with his specified contact and let him knows all I just said about this money, ($1,500,000.00) although he is aware of my intention. Please send him all the below information for easy communication.however, this correspondent is official and private,
 
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality and trust in t his matter to accomplish my heart desire, as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my last wish. Always write me with below email address:
mariamark05@56788.com
Your full name...........             
Your mobile number............                    
Your age.......................                
Your gender...........................                        
Your identification proof ....................            
Your occupation...............................               
Your country and city.......................                 
Thanks.
From Mrs. Maria A.Victor

Anti-fraud resources: