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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: "Lawrence Stringer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lstringer@yahoo.cn>
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:14:07 -0400
Subject: PLEASE HURRY UP NOW BEFORE IT WILL BE TOO LATE

Dear beneficiary
 
My name is Lawrence Stringer a staff of the Financial Forensic Document Department under Ministry Of Finance and director of foreign payment operation. As the Chief Auditor in charge Of Foreign Remittance Unit. During our 2011 auditing, I discovered that you have an outstanding payment, yet to be collected by you.
 
I further discovered that your payment has received several approval by several government and agencies, and in each payment approval/payment order, you were unjustly ask to pay huge amount and despite the huge amount spent to procure one document to the other, one official fees to the other, regardless of that you are yet to receive your fund, it is a big shame to discover that all these frustration are deliberately meted to you and some other beneficiaries by the key players in the bank, and our government are using your funds to trade to satisfied their selfish end.
 
I can authoritatively inform you that these cabals has made huge turn over/fortune with your funds and still not willing to give up your funds. In some cases, they will introduce some fraudulent lawyers who will be acting as representative to the beneficiary using such avenue to indirectly extort fund from the beneficiary. I can go on and on, but it is of no use, the good news is that I have worked out means to get you your fund with a consultant to assist you deliver your funds into your bank account without any upfront payment.
 
The financial Consultant is a human right Activist, he is well connected to our government and he has helped so many people in the recent past, without demand for UPFRONT PAYMENT. PLEASE TAKE NOTE.
 
I made him understand that your major obstacle in this project is in the trust because I understand that you must have lost confident and you must have considered giving up the fund. He has agreed to preside this transaction and ensure that you receive your fund within one week. That is, your Funds transferred and delivered into your bank account. All he would need from you is a letter of Authority which shall enable him act on your behalf before the concerned authorities and the paying bank, and within one week or less your fund must be transferred/delivered into your bank account in your country.
 
I will wait to hear from you to enable me update you with the next step, I am confident that we are able to accomplish the delivery of this fund in less than the one week if only you follow all directives. I look forward to hearing from you urgently, until then remain blessed in the Lord and have a blissful day.
 
Your sincerely,
 
Lawrence Stringer

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