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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Walter Gardener<gardnerwalter@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: gardenerwalter@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:27:29 -0700
Subject: Good day to you.
Good day to you.
I am Mr. Walter Gardener an Indian Citizen, husband to late Susan Gardener,an Ex British Petroleum plc Contractor who died on a plane crash at Madrid's Barajas Airport, Spain on Wednesday, 20 August, 2008. We were married with no child and I decided not to remarry since I’m now old. When my wife was alive, she deposited $18.5M with a Bank here in London which she intended to use for a charity project. This fund emanated from bond transactions she executed in her registered area of business.The bank has just emailed me to come and claim this money as the next of kin or give an authority letter to someone who can do it for me as the fund has passed its maturity date. I can’t do this myself because I am presently in London hospital where I have been taking treatments for cancer of the lungs for the past one year.The Doctor told me that I have only but few weeks to live that is why I decided to look for a sincere person like you who can use this fund to run a charity home for Orphaned Children according to my wife's wish.I'll legally authorize the bank to release the fund to you on my behalf as the Trustee of the fund once you agree and promise me that you will honestly carry out this charity work with 90% of this funds to the glory of God while you keep 10% for your service.
Remain blessed with good health while I await your quick reply.
Mr. Walter Gardener.
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Anti-fraud resources:
