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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: Edward Peterson <edwardptrson@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 07:36:34 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS


Esteemed Compliments,

Dear Mr,

I crave your indulgence for the unsolicited nature of this letter, but it
was borne out of desperation and current development. Please bear with me.

I am Edward Peterson the operations leader of AM Gold Inc USA (ACERF) posted
to Ghana, I am contacting you for assistant with believe that you can be
trusted.

My company had this contract with Ghana gold mining company since last two
years ago which we are still on it but on the process I sold some of the
gold out on Credit to Mr. George Herbert who is from London without my
company's notice and our agreement is for him to sell the gold and return
money. This gold price is worth of GBP£3,300,000.00 but after he had passed
it out from Ghana to UK he then changed his mind to pay me the sum of
GBP£2,200,000.00. I had no argument with him on this because the company I
work with is not aware and they have no idea to this deal.

Anyway, the arrangement of this deal is for you to only assist me perhaps
for the said fund of GBP£2,200,000.00. to be paid into your personal bank
account from London while I will come over to your country for the sharing
of the total fund, since I am still working with A.M Gold Inc and I do not
want my company to know my involvement for the sake of my job.


I look further to your reply so that we can start from there and I will
give you Mr. George Herbert details for you to contact him.

I wait to hear from you as soon as you received this message

Yours faithfully.
Edward Peterson

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