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: "Rev JOHN Paul" <paul.john906@gmail.com>
Reply-To: john.paul906@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 08:49:36 -0400 (AST)
Subject: RE: From Rev JOHN Paul




My Dear,

My name is Rev JOHN Paul, from VANNES-France, I have been diagnosed with
Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in
carrying for my health. It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right
now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.

Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any
more. I once asked my lawyer and members of my family to close one of my
accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity
organization and to the less privileged in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they
refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them
anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of
Twelve Million and Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD12.5m) that I have
with a Security Company in United Arab Emirates for safe keeping. I will
want you to help me collect this deposit and disburse it to some charity
organizations and to the less privileged.

Please send me a mail at: (john.paul906@yahoo.com) to indicate if you will
assist me in this disbursement, to enable me forward to you the entire
document which will back you up to claim the funds on my behalf.

Remain blessed.
Rev. JOHN Paul



Anti-fraud resources: