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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Ricardo Hierro <ricardohierroo@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 01:50:15 -0700
Subject: Season's greetng

Expedite Approach

Firstly, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction; this is
by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret.
Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one
apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well
at the end of the day.

It may surprise you receiving this mail from me, since there was no
previous correspondence between us. My name is Ricardo Hierro of Ebame
& Associados. Attorney to Late Ms. Marlena who lived and died in
Spain during the Tsunami catastrophe of December 2004. My deceased
client was born by two migrant workers that came to Spain in the 50`s
and I have been their attorney.

My client had a balance deposit of $4,402,000.00M (FOUR MILLION, FOUR
HUNDRED AND TWO THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) with a Safe bank here
in Spain. As the attorney to my late client, the bank has mandated me
to present a member of her family heir/inheritor) to make Claims or
the deposited fund will be confiscated and taken to the Bureau of bank
Security as unclaimed.

After preliminary efforts of search for a direct family member which
came to no avail, I was given an ultimatum to look for some relative
to come for the claim or have the fund liquidated and made
unserviceable in accordance with existing laws.
This transaction is 100% risk free because rule of law will be
applied. If this works out fine the ratio will be 50-50.

I earnestly await your response on email: ricardohierroo@gmail.com or
you can also contact me through Tel-Direct +34 65 45 34 327 for
further clarification. However, if this business proposal offends your
moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology. Thank you.

Yours in service,
Ricardo Hierro

Anti-fraud resources: