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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: "Mrs, Fatima Sheriff" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 06:45:15 +0800
Subject: I HAVE DECIDED TO SEEK YOUR HELP IN CARRYING OUT MY LAST WISH

Greetings!

I am Mrs. Fatima Sheriff from Syria. I am contacting you from my hospital bed here in Malaysia where I am under going medical treatment. I am a dying sick woman. I have been diagnosed of cancer and have been receiving treatment for the past 2 years. Recently I have been informed by my Doctor that I have less than 6 months to live because of the deteriorating nature of my health. My late Husband and I was married for 18 good years with out any child, although we lived hapilly despite the obstacles and negligence from my husband relatives and friends because of our childlessness.

My late husband when he was alive worked with MULTINATIONAL OIL COMPANY EXXON AS A DRILLING RIG SUPPLIER to Saudi ArabiaIn, Iran and Kuwait.
before he meet with his on-timely death when extremist fighting in Syria entered his office and killed him in a cold blood with the intention of using our family wealth in the pursuance of this menace you read and hear about every day in Syria.

I have decided to seek your help in carrying out my last wishes, in June of 2010 my late husband made a deposit worth of US$15.3 Million (Fifteen Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars)in a finance and security company abroad. Having known my health condition I have decided to donate the funds to you to build a charity foundation for orphanage, less privileged people, widows and for the propagating of peace around the world though NGO. You will use 80% of the money for the work God is committing to your care, and 20% you will keep for yourself.

I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not good to me and I don't want my husband funds to be used by extremist, I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way this is why I am taking this decision to contact you for this work which God is committing to your care through a dying woman like me.

I shall hold my peace until the time God will call me to glory. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my deteriorating health, hence the presence of my husband relatives around me always, I don't want them to know about this development and the money left with the finance and security company. I want you to always pray for me so that when I die God will accept my soul in his bosom. My happiness is that I lived a life worth emulating here on earth.

I will not be communicating much, when I receive your reply, I will give you the contact details of the Lawyer who will assist you get the necessary documents for the release of the funds in the finance and security company abroad.

Remain blessed in God.
Mrs. Fatima Sheriff.
mrsfatimasheriff@gmail.com

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