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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: "JOHN KERRY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kerryjohn657@yahoo.es>
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2015 13:52:46 -0700
Subject: DID YOU PERMIT MRS. CHRISTINA MORGAN TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND

U S A SECRETARY OF THE STATE  JOHN KERRY
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
1500 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
 
AN OFFICIAL MEETING WAS HELD WITH THE NEW PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA WITH HIS NEW MINISTERS CONCERNING THE UNPAID AND UNCLAIMED FUNDS TO FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES,I WAS VERY MUCH CONCERNED WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE
PAID MUCH MONEY AND YET HAVE NOT RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS.
 
the new president Muhammadu Buhari mandated that all the 34 short listed foreign contractors/beneficiaries that their names appeared in the SUN newspaper publication of Monday June 15 will receive their payment via international bank draft or international ATM CARD through our affiliate/correspondence paying bank here the United States of America.
 
In the course of our investigation, your email address/particulars were short listed among the first fifteen individuals yet to be paid hence this
email. However, we received a petition today from one Mrs. Christina Morgan that you are dead. According to her, you died in a plane crash as such your fund should be paid to her as the apparent heir. She has also submitted her Bank account for the transfer of the fund to her.
 
To avoid undue delay or paying the fund to wrong individual/beneficiary, I have decided to contact you for confirmation. If I fail to hear from you after 72 hours, it will be assumed that the petition of Mrs. Morgan is true and the fund will be paid to her without further delay. Therefore, if you are still alive, reconfirm your particulars.
 
NOTE: IF YOU KNOW THAT THIS FUND DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU, OR YOU  CANNOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION. PLEASE DON'T BOTHER TO REPLY THIS  MESSAGE.
 
YOURS FAITHFULLY
 
JOHN KERRY
U.S. SECRETARY JOHN KERRY

Anti-fraud resources: