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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "rachaeldonald@live.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Rachael Donald <mrs.rachaeldonald@hotmail.fr>
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 16:30:22 +0000
Subject: God's Greeting to you My Dear,
God's Greeting to you My Dear,
How are you today? I hope all is well with you and you’re Family to the
Glory of God. Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address
from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go
ahead I am Mrs. Rachael Donald from Dublin Ireland, married to Lloyd
Donald who worked with Caltex Oil Company in Malaysia before he died in a
ghastly motor accident on his way to a Board meeting. My Husband and me
were married but without any children.
Since his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 76 Years
old.When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $9.5 million
dollars in a Bank.Presently this money is still with the Bank and the
management just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the
money or rather Issue aletter of authority to somebody to receive it on my
behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment
Cancer of the lungs.
I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I
have only a few month to live so I think the best thing to do is to use the
money for charity purposes.I want a person who is trustworthy that I will
make the beneficiary of my late Husband's Fund deposited with the bank so
that the person can get the money and utilize 70% of this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows around the world. As soon as I receive
your reply I shall give you the contact details of the Bank. Please assure
me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in and Keep this contact
confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. Thisis to
ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth.
I await your urgent reply.
Mrs.Rachael Donald
My Email address is: (rachaeldonald@live.fr)
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