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: "Miss" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <afoahnana@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2015 15:48:42 -0700
Subject:

Good day,
 
Thank you for your time reading my message. I choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest, surest and most secured medium of communication.I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise as we have never met before, but still i will want you to take me like a friend, and glance through my short letter. My Name is Nana,and presently in Accra,am the only Survived child of Late Mr. Kwesi Afoah who was murdered alongside my mother and only brother last year by rebels. I am Presently in a church guest home because of wickedness of uncle's and relatives. Before his death, my father had a domiciliary account here, up to the tune of (Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand US dollars).Please I need your assistance to get this money transferred to you for my education, investment and to be my guardian before my uncles will get hold of me and the money. I shall forward to you with the necessary documents on confirmation of your acceptance to assist me for the t ransfer of the money to you. I sh
 
Yours truly,
Nana.
 

Anti-fraud resources: