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: <willann@excite.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2016 14:35:36 +0900
Subject: I am willing to make a free will donation

From Mrs. Annmarie Williams
Hello Beloved One,
Greeting to you in the name of God, I know it may surprise you to receive this kind of sensitive message from a stranger notwithstanding, I humbly ask you to please give me your attention, listen and hear my voice, my name is Mrs. Annmarie Williams from Saint-Germain-en-Laye France, I am married to Late Mr. Alexandra Williams who worked as the director of PETROCI,oil and gas company in Republic of Cote D'Ivoire for a period of 18 years before he died after a brief illness on the 14TH day of June 2013.
We were married for 26 years without any child because my late husband were facing a low sperm count challenges and myself I am having a fibroid, we suffered infertility frustrations throughout our married life, though since his death I decided not to remarry due to my religious beliefs.
The main reason I'm contacting you is because I would like to donate our valuable items to the poor and needy, Churches, Mosques, charity homes,ETC, I will need your assistance to help me to distribute the valuable items to the poor and needy because I am not physically fit to do it by myself due to my health condition as I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and my doctors has revealed to me that I have 50/50 chances of survival, in fact they made me to understand that I would not last for the next two months, and when my late husband was alive he deposited a substantial amount of money with one of the prime banks in Cote D'Ivoire and presently the said fund are still at the custody of the bank, having known my condition I have decided to repent and give my life to God and to donate the fund to the poor and needy, I want you to assist me to distribute the wealth to Churches, Mosques, Charity organization, orphanage homes, widows and other people that are in need, l to!
ok this strange decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this wealth, moreover, my relatives are not close to me since I develop this cancer problem and it had been their wish to see me dead in order to inherit our wealth since we have no child, these people are not worthy of this inheritance and that is why I am taking this strange decision.
Please note that I don't need any telephone communication, because my doctors seriously warned that since my health condition has worsened that I can't stage any communication of any kind on the telephone.
As soon as I receive your reply I will give you more details and guide lines on how to go about this project.
I also want you to always put me in prayer.
Any delay in your reply may give me room to look for another good person for this same purpose.
Please in case if you are not in a position to handle this project, please I will so much appreciate you inform me immediately so that I will start making an urgent alternative arrangement without further delay waiting for you.
Hoping to receive your response soonest so that I will know my next step.
[willannmrs@yahoo.com]
Thanks and Remain blessed.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Annmarie Williams

Anti-fraud resources: