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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Xing Zang" <xingzang2@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 18:23:01 +0100
Subject: Your response would be highly appreciated

FROM MRS. XING HELENA Z,

NEED A GODLY PERSON WHO CAN
HANDLE US$8M PROJECT IN A
CHARITY HOME.

ATTN.

I AM MRS XING HELENA Z, THE WIFE OF LATE MR. EL ZARAH.I AM A WIDOW AND
HAVE NO CHILD ALSO ON A SICK BED FACING CANCER OF THE BREAST WHICH HAS
LASTED FOR 9 MONTHS NOW.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND HE DEPOSITED US$8M DOLLARS IN A
SECURITY COMPANY OUT SIDE MALAYSIA WITHOUT LETTING ANY OTHER PERSON
KNOW EXCEPT ME THE WIFE,HE MADE THIS MONEY WHEN HE WAS WORKING WITH
THE MALAYSIAN CENTRAL PRINTING AND MINTING COY. AND THE MONEY WAS
PACKED IN A DIPLOMATIC BOX AND MOVE THE SAME WAY DIPLOMATIC TO A
SECURITY COMPANY FOR SAFE KEEPING AND TO AVOID HIS COMPANY NOT TO KNOW
ABOUT THIS MONEY.

I AM 59 YEARS NOW AND I AM IN THE LORD BECAUSE ,I WANT WHO WILL GO AND
CLEAR THE CONSIGNMENT OUT FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY AND USE THE MONEY
TO SET UP A CHARITY HOME AND ALSO ASSIST CHURCHES ,WHO CAN HANDLE THIS
MONEY VERY WELL, I CAN NOT WALK NOW AND I CAN GIVE UP ANY TIME SO I
WANT THIS MONEY TO BE OUT NOW SINCE I HAVE INFORMED THE SECURITY
COMPANY ABOUT MY CONDITION AND SAID THAT ANY PERSON I APPOINT AS MY
REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD COME WITH A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION FROM ME FOR
THE CLEARING OF THE CONSIGNMENT.

NOTE THAT THE SECURITY COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE CONTENT OF THE
CONSIGNMENT IS MONEY ,THEY KNOW IT AS A FAMILY TREASURE SO IS ONLY I
AND YOU THAT KNOWS THE CONTENT OF THE BOX. YOU CAN SET UP THE CHARITY
HOME ANY PLACE OF YOUR CHOICE INCLUDING YOUR COUNTRY,AM IN THE
HOSPITAL NOW SO I WANT GOD TO TAKE GLORY BEFORE I DIE,SO I WANT THIS
MONEY TO BE USED IN THIS WAY SO TAKE IT AS YOUR OWN AS SOON AS YOU
CLEAR IT, YOU PAY IT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND DEDUCT ANY EXPENSES YOU
MADE IN PROCESS OF GETTING THIS OUT INCLUDING YOUR TELEPHONE BILL,I
WANT YOU TO START THE PROJECT SOON,DUE TO MY HEALTH MY DOCTOR PLACED A
KIND OF BED REST ON MY COMMUNICATION LIMIT.

AWAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
MRS. XING HELENA Z.

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