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: "Mrs. Sharon Miller" <mrs.sharonmiller69@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sharonmiller0078@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2017 02:54:06 -0600
Subject: From Mrs. Sharon Miller: Good day and compliments

Good day and compliments, I know this letter will definitely come to you
as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it
carefully as the decision you make will go off a long way to determine my
future and continued existence. Please allow me to introduce myself I am
Mrs. Sharon Miller, married to Mr. John Miller, a Greek shipping tycoon
notable for his great wealth, influential extended family, and charitable
activities all his life before his death. Few years ago, I was
diagonalized of Cancer and according to my doctor, the end is very near.

Our life together as man and wife ended without a child though he had
three Children; Spyros, Marianna and Margarita from his first Marriage to
Erietta. His Family and Erietta (his first wife) never approved of his
marriage to me and have done everything to frustrate me. My husband died
after a protracted illness on April 17, 2009. My husband is noted for his
philanthropy during his life time and I have vowed to continue from where
he stopped to uplift the down-trodden and the less-privileged individuals
as he had passion for persons who can not help themselves due to physical
disability or financial predicament. I can adduce this to the fact that he
needed a Child from this relationship, which never came. When my late
husband was alive he deposited the sum of $8.2million (Eight Million Two
Hundred Thousand Dollars) which were derived from his vast estates and
investment in capital market with a bank in United Kingdom and named me as
the beneficiary of this trust fund.

Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me
that I have limited time to live due to the cancerous problems I am
suffering from. Though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in
addition to the cancer. With this hard reality that has befallen me and
having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to either an
organization or a reliable individual in your person who shall utilize
this money to better the lives of the less privileged. I want you to use
this money in all sincerity to fund orphanages, widows and the destitute.

It is often said that blessed is the hand that giveth. I took this
decision because I do not have a child that will inherit this money and My
Husband First Wife and children and other relatives are bourgeois and very
wealthy persons as they are controlling his Multi -Billion Dollar Business
Empire. I do not want this money to be misused or invested into ill
perceived ventures.

It is quite unfortunate that My husband's Son, Spyros, who is the Heir to
his father's Estate is towing a different line from what his father did
while alive. He has shown every attribute of a tyrant and a dictator as he
does only what he thinks that will benefit him without considering other
people.

I know that after death I will be with God the most beneficent and
merciful. I do not need any telephone communication in this regard due to
my deteriorating health and because of the presence of the people Spyros
paid to always be around me because he thought that I know where some of
his father's wealth are because I was always traveling with My husband. I
am currently bed ridden in the Family house and do not receive any
visitors unless approved by Spyros Miller.

I do not want them to know about this development in order to safeguard
this bequest. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact
of the bank in U.K. I will also authorize my Private Attorney in the U.K
whom I communicate with via emails all the time, to issue a Letter of
Authority that will empower you as the new beneficiary of this fund.

My happiness is that I lived a life worthy of emulation. Please always be
kind hearten all through your life. Please assure me that you will act
just as I have stated herein. Hope to hear from you soon, it is well with
you and members of your family. You can contact me through my private
email address only : sharonmiller0078@gmail.com : Any delay in your reply
will leave me to start sourcing for another organization or individual for
this same purpose.

Until I hear from you, my dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders. May
the Almighty God continue to guide and protect you.

Thanking you in anticipation of your kind consideration.

Yours truly,
Mrs. Sharon Miller

Anti-fraud resources: