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: Cynthia Godffery <info@help.com>
Reply-To: cynthiagodffery@ymail.com
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:22:54 -0400
Subject: Please help me

Dear: Friend,

My writing is that of a woman, who is asking you for a help, a help which if rendered will greatly be appreciated by her and humanity in general.

On the first week of February 2012, I became ill with what I thought was a very bad flu....high fever, vomiting and diarrhea.Then I started to have severe pain in the back of my right thigh. This progressed to the point that I could not walk….not at all!On the morning of Friday February 4 at around 10am I was taken by ambulance to the Hospital. I was in very serious condition which changed to critical condition. They couldn't even get a blood pressure reading. The entire weekend was spent running tests and trying to save my life.

The hospital staff really didn't think that I was going to survive. On Sunday February 6 it was confirmed that I had Necrotizing Fasciitis commonly known as Flesh Eating Disease. The toxins were ravaging My body and as a result I started undergoing kidney dialysis.The Doctor explained that the initial impact of the deadly bacteria was in my right thigh, where I had been experiencing the excruciating pain. That, he said, was like the site of a nuclear bomb exploding and the poisons were destroying my entire body. I was medically Induced in deep coma for a few weeks and then slowly brought out.I Was eventually transferred to another hospital for surgery were I was given a tough choice to make. A choice that will lead to surgery, to amputate all four of my limbs, both hands and wrists and both legs below the knee. I made the choice, the surgery was done, as I suddenly had an extraordinary will to live, fight and to overcome this inconceivable challenge, so thmyat I can go back to my active life once again and live life as best and as independently as possible. After this I got prosthetic limbs, in-home care, wheel chair access in and up to her home, ...my home was remodelled for accessibility...simple things like taking a shower became an ardous task, I lived life like this from March till recently, when my husband of 7years left.

He couldnt take it any longer. I think he wish me dead to inherit all I have worked for. Please listen, this I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pains as you read this. I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday.
You see, this my condition reoccured again late August and this time around, the medical expert says it is over. The point is that originaly, my situation was discovered very late due to my uncaring attitude for myhealth, right now, i have only about a few months to live according to medical experts.To be frank with you, I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my business and money. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that was the only thing i cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it.Now that I know my time is almost up, I have willed and given most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few close friends. I have decided to give alms to charity organizations,as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth.

So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations here in UK,United Arab Emirates and Ireland. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self any more. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and donate the money which I have there to some charity organizations in Bulgaria, they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be content with what I have left for them.

The last of my money is this cash deposit ($5.5 Million) that I have with a security firm abroad . I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity organizations and let them know that it is I, Cynthia Godffrey that is making this generous donation.
I am writing this from my laptop computer in my hospital bed where I wait for my time to come.

As soon as I receive your sincere response, I will hence give you all the necessary details of how this can be done. I pray that you will support and assist me with good heart so that I can be able to achieve my goal. If you accept to help me do this, I promise you a reward of 40% of the
($5.5 Million).

Thank you for understanding.
Cynthia Godffrey


Anti-fraud resources: