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: "William" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wmer1@dnrkb.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 18:43:41 +0200
Subject: fyi

Sequel to your non response of our earlier letter to you on behalf Of the trustees and Executors to the Will of our late client. I wish to
notify you that we are listing you as a beneficiary to the total sum of £8.6M Great British Pounds (Eight Million Six Hundred Thousand Pounds) in the codicil and last testament of the deceased.

The deceased was a very great philanthropist during his life time.Even though he was a foreigner living and working here he requested before his death that he be buried here in his words, "I regard here as My home and the people as my people" We therefore reckoned that you can receive this funds as you are qualified by your name identity. All the legal papers will be processed on your response.

In your acceptance of this deal, we request that you kindly forward any proof of identities of yours, your current telephone and fax numbers and forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents at our high court probate division for the release of this sum of money.

I await your reply soon.

Yours faithfully,

William Lorimer


IMPORTANT CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FACSIMILE IS PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL AND INTENDED FOR THE USE OF THE ADDRESSEE ALONE. THE ADDRESSEE IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY DISSEMINATION, DISTRIBUTION OR COPYING OF THIS FACSIMILE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IF THE FACSIMILE IS RECEIVED IN ERROR, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY ME BY EMAIL OR FAX.

Anti-fraud resources: