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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: GEORGE <jessytagro@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: turehfamily_2010@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:27:49 -0400
Subject: VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL

Dearest one,
My name is Jessica George; I am 23 years old, from Paris, France, I am
the only daughter of my parents. I am living here in Abidjan the
capital city of Cote d ‘ Ivoire with my mother since I was 4 years
before she passed away. My mother told me that my father died when I
was 3years. I school and work as a fashion designer for part time job
during after my school. I stop school in my 1st year in the
University, because I don’t have assistance to continue and I take
care of my mother Boutique as the manager before it was burnt to ashes
during the political crises here in Abidjan March Last year 2011.
During the political war here in Abidjan I was among the French
citizen that our Embassy relocated to Ghana and I stayed in Ghana till
the war ended. After the political war here I return back to Abidjan
and see that my Boutique is damaged and burnt to ashes.

Before the death of my mother, she had willed our Real Estate and the
total amount of 2,700,000.00 € (Two Million Seven Hundred Thousand
Euros) to me. Now at her death, and because things has become very
hard for me paying my school fees and taking care of my other needs
which the tailoring job I do as a part-time after my school couldn't
help, so, I went to our Bank where this money was deposited. I was
shocked when the Bank Manager explained to me that I will not be able
to with-draw from the deposited money, because my mother had put a
clause on the Will, which she used in depositing the funds with them,
saying that before I will be given access to the money, I will either
have to be 30 years old or I will be given access to the money, if
only i get married before the age of 30 or appoint a guardian, in
which case, my husband or guardian will be legible to collect the
money on my behalf by standing in as my late mothers next of kin to
claim the deposited funds on my behalf. Today I am only 23years old.
And I have no access to the money till I'm 30 years. So, I’m
contacting you to stand by me to claim this fund on my behalf even if
you are married already, you can still help me by standing in as my
late mother’s next of kin to the deposited funds. So, I hope that we
shall discuss how you want remunerated when you get back to me.

Please remember I am writing you this email purely on the ground of
trust. While this transaction last, we must be able to put emotions
aside and face it, perhaps after everything, we might find a need for
that if you are still single. Although even that you are not single,
we will still complete the transaction, meanwhile I will present you
to the bank as the guardian of the fund as it was agreed with the bank
and my late mother on the day of the deposit of which I have the
documents with me here.
Waiting to hear from you soon.
Yours Truly,
Miss.Jessica George

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