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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Estel Bedie <estelbedie@centrum.cz>
Reply-To: estelbedie@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:29:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Legal Privacy Policy.
Legal Privacy Policy.
Dear Thank you for your fast respond to my email I am Mrs Estel Bedie Henry from London United Kingdom I am married to Late Mr Simeon Henry Bedie of blessed memory who was a well known Gold and Diamond dealer from Kuwait to United Kingdom for through out his life before he died in the year 2008.
We where married for 23 years without a child.Before his sudden death we where devoted christians When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of(£5.500.000.00 MILLIONS BRITISH POUNS GBP) in a suspence account with one of the bank here in London using my name as the beneficiary since we could not bear a child,
Presently this money is still with the bank in United Kingdom and i am very sick from cancer of the lung despite the fibroid and tumour which denied me a child when my husband was alive as a result i may not last till the next two months according to my doctor report so i want to donate to a christian organisations,who will use it to work for God and i have chose you after making several prayers consultations.
I want this money to be shared among the next privileged since i do not have a child to inherit it.Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I know that after death I will be with God the most high and the most merciful God.
It is a very important confidential message that i will like to tell you more about it so get in touch with me so that i can fully detail you what i choose you for and as well give you a little knowledge on how to achieve it.Until i hear from you my dreams lay hugely on your shoulders
I am waiting to read from you soon
Your Sister Mrs Estel Henry Bedie
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Anti-fraud resources:
