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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: BERNHARD IMERSLUND <imerslundprivate@netscape.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:15:57 +0100
Subject: HOW ARE YOU.

Dear Friend,

I don't want you to feel sorry for
me because I believe everyone will
die someday. My name is Bernhard
Imerslund, a Norwegian citizen and
a business Man. I have been
diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
It has defiled all forms of medical
treatment and right now I have only
about a few months to Live, according
to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life
so well, as I never really cared for
anyone (not even myself) but my
business. Though I am very rich, I
was never generous, I was always
hostile to people and only focused
on my business as that was the only
thing I cared for. But now I regret
all this as I now know that there
is more to life than just wanting
to have or make all the money in
the world. I believe when God gives
me a second chance to come to this
world I would live my life a
different way from how I have lived
it. Now that God has called me, I
have willed and given most of my
property and assets to my
immediate and extended family
members as well as a few close
friends.

I want God to be merciful to me and
accept my soul so, I have decided to
give alms to charity organizations,
as I want this to be one of the last
good deeds I do on earth. So far, I
have distributed money to some charity
organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria
and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do
this myself anymore. I once asked
members of my family to close one of
my accounts and distribute the money
which I have there to charity
organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan,
they refused and kept the money to
themselves.

Hence I do not trust them anymore,
as they seem not to be contended
with what I have left for them.
The last of my money which no one
knows of is the huge cash deposit
of thirty eight million united
States dollars $38,000.000 that
I have with a finance/Security
Firm abroad. I will want you to
help me collect this deposit
and dispatch it to charity
organizations.

I have set aside 20% for you for
your time and patience. Please
send a reply through this email
address with your full names
contact telephone & fax numbers
for confidential verbal details.

God bless with you.

BERNHARD IMERSLUND.

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