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. Katherine Travers" <katherinetravers71@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:56:05 +0800
Subject: Re: My Request from you

Hello,

I am Mrs. Katherine Travers from New Zealand, I am 74 years
old, I am suffering from a long time cancer of the breast,
from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating
and it is quite obvious that I can not work or do any
stressful thing, according to my doctors they have advised
me that I may not live for the next two months, this is
because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage and
it has affected my speech.

Before i was diagnosed of this illness, i use to help the
homeless and less privileged via my Charity fund and i help
raise kids in Africa and Asia. So, now that i will not be
available to continue i want to donate the fund in my Asian
bank account to someone that will continue to sponsor
Charity and the homeless. My late husband died 2008 after a
bring illness, we were married for 25 years without a child
leaving me without any next of kin. However, i have US$4.5
Million dollars (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars)
with a bank in Malaysia, which i want to give out for
Charity to someone who can continue helping people.

The sickness has affected my voice, that I cannot receive
call from any one, I am sending you this mail with the help
of a nurse who is taking care of me in the hospital.
Presently the fund is with the Deutsche Bank Malaysia and I
want to donate this fund to an individual who will utilize
it the way I am going to instruct here in. I want an
individual that will use this money to provide assistance to
the poor, orphanages and widows. You can set up a Charity
Organization if you want.

If you show interest in handling this project, I shall
instruct my property/ fund manager and the bank that you are
the original beneficiary of this fund so that they will
arrange with you for the transfer. After the completion of
the transfer, you will deduct 30% of the total money for
your own commission, while you invest the remaining 70% as
stated above.

Please if you indicate interest get back to me so that I
will send you more details and my manager's contact in
Malaysia. Keep praying for me, even if I die my soul shall
rest in peace.

Waiting for your answer,
Thanks,
Mrs. Katherine Travers.

Anti-fraud resources: