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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: <Theresa7@luiss2015.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <teeluis@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2015 06:51:43 -0200
Subject: Best Regards


Dear Friend I am Mrs. Theresa Luis, I am 68 years old born in Britain, and =
I am suffering from a long time cancer of the Lungs which also had affected=
my entire well being, from all indication my conditions is really deterior=
ating. According to my doctors they have advised me that I may not live for=
the next two months, this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very=
bad level. I was brought up from an orphanage home, was married to my late=
husband Mr. Luis (BRITISH MAN) for twenty years and we lived in London, la=
ter transferred to Nigeria as an Ambassador Attach=E9 at British Embassy in=
Nigeria, until my husband died in a plane crash, Beechcraft 1900D, charter=
aircraft, which disappeared on March 15, 2008. The wreckage of the plane w=
as discovered six months later with the corpses of my husband and the other=
two persons on board. Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I sold al=
l my inherited belongings and deposited all the money with a bank in Lagos =
Nigeria. Presently, this money is still with the bank and I have not operat=
ed the account for a long time due to my illness. Presently, I'm with a lap=
top in my hospital room, where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer =
in the lungs for over one year. Recently, doctors told me that I have only =
a few months to live so I quickly made up my mind positively concerning my =
money. My mind ministered to me to share this inheritance with the orphans =
in orphanage homes and people that need money for survival. It is my last w=
ish to see that some percentage (70%) will be distribute among the charity =
organizations, the poor and orphans in orphanage homes where I came from an=
d some percentage (20%) for devoted individual (you) that will utilize this=
money the way I wish and (10%) will be use to settle expenses (IF ANY) inc=
urred in the cause of transfer. I took this decision because my time will s=
oon be over and I do not want the Nigeria bank to inherit the money if I ev=
entually die. I want you to honestly accept my decision and send me the fol=
lowing details to enable me instruct my bank to process all my money valued=
=A33.5 million GBP and transfer to you as my beneficiary. As soon as I rec=
eive your reply and the details, I will issue a letter of authority to my b=
ank which will empowers you as the beneficiary of my money, in as much as y=
ou give me assurance that you will do my last wish. Your Full Name.........=
......... Address.............................. Nationality................=
.......... Phone Number.................. Occupation.......................=
. Age..........Sex.................. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Theresa Luis

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