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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: "Phyllis CHURCHILL," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <giverappriciate@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 08:29:08 +0100
Subject: Hello, My Dear,

Hello, My Dear
 
My Name is Mrs Phyllis CHURCHILL, and I am 65 years old woman from London and a wife to the late Mr CHURCHILL I am presently in Oxford, United Kingdom receiving treatments for my long time BREAST CANCER. The intention of this letter is to seek for your attention and help in-respect of my funds Deposited in one of the reliable Security & Finance Company.
 
Presently, my doctors told me that my sickness has gotten to a stage where it can no longer make me breath normal as a result that my cancer was not discovered in time and has gotten to a very bad stage where it can no longer be responding to CHEMOTHERAPY treatment and cannot guarantee how much time I have to live. My loving husband left me when I needed him most and died indeed we were very wealthy and nurtured a good christian home, though we are CHILDLESS as it is God's wish.
 
Actually, I inherited all my late husband's wealth and business and before time of my sickness I really trusted people believing that they care for me and later realized that they took advantage of my predicament and defrauded me but I thank almighty God that I did not reveal the $ 10,700,000.00 (Ten Million seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ) Only to those ingrate.
 
However, through divine revelation, I got your email address from the
Internet, as the spirit of Almighty God directed me to contact you for
this sacrificial project. The above amount is currently under the custody of the reliable Security & Finance Company and I want you to claim it on my behalf for the services of charity as I am convinced that you have the desire to touch the lives of those who are facing challenges of Breast Cancer, Physically Challenge, Child Abuse, the Poor and Needy all over the world.
 
I hope you will honestly do this for me, if yes, please forward your
personal data to me such as, your full name, private mobile and phone numbers with scanned copy of your id, to enable me send it to my attorney to process some relevant documents that will authenticate you the legal next of kin and authorize the Security & Finance Company immediate release to you.
 
Remain Blessed I await your urgent response.
 
Sincerely,
Mrs CHURCHILL
 

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