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 Chen S. Chen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs_chen_00001@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:28:03 -0000
Subject: AN honest person

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my heart, My Name is Mrs. Chen P. Ghen, and I am contacting you from my country Republic of China, I am from Taiwan a citizen of China I want to tell you this because I don't have any other option than to tell you as I was touched to open up to you, I married to Pan Shou who worked with London embassy for nine years before he died in the year 2005.We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since his death I decided not to remarry, When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 4.5m (Four Million Five hundred Thousand Pounds) He made this money available for exportation of Gold.

Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period of seven months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand you over this money to take care of the less-privileged people mostly in China, you will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want you to take 30 Percent of the total money for your personal use While 70% of the money will go to the charity" people in the street and helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan and I don't have anybody as my family member, just to endeavor that the house of God is maintained. Am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and accept my soul because these sicknesses have suffered me so much.

As soon as I receive your reply I will send you my surgery photo in Beijing Hospital China for you to view and see the truth. I shall give you more information and pass your information to the paying Bank and I will also instruct My Lawyer to issue you an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of the money in my private company and bank that is if you assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein.

Your response to this letter will be highly appreciated.

God bless you

>From Mrs. Chen P. Chen

Anti-fraud resources: