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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: LEGAL BENEFIT CHARITY WILL <dilbeck@pacwheel.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 04:59:52 -0700
Subject: LEGAL BENEFIT CHARITY WILL

Attention: Beloved

My apology for sending you this information by e-mail instead of a
Certified/Post-mail. I got your contact through my personal search via
the internet and I decided to contact you due to the urgency and
importancy. I don't want you to feel sorry for me because I believe
everyone will die someday. My name is Mrs. Jennifer Arnold a dying woman
of 58 years old I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I want
God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so I have decided to give
alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good
deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity
organizations in the Oman, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.

I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and
distribute the money which I have there to charity organization 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, this is my reason for writing and making
the following proposal to you I took this decision because I have no
child that will inherit this funds.

I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free the last of
my money which no one knows of is huge cash deposit of united state
dollars $5,500,000Million US Dollars that I have with a finance/Security
Company. I will want you to dispatch it to charity organizations if only
you will be sincere. The nature of this FUND does not necessary matter
all I demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this funds
when it finally gets to your personal or company's account in your
Country

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until
the task is accomplished as I do not want anything that will jeopardize
my last wish and I do not want my relations and my family members to
know because they are always around me. Please do not share my email
address with anyone as I have received some emails from some
unscrupulous people claiming to be charity organizations and other weird
stories.

God be with you.
Please contact my lawyer with this specified email below I have notified
him that I have adjusted my WILL to you,
EQS VANDEN BRINK
Email: vicenden.brink@aol.com

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