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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: MASTER HENRY JOHNSON <.HENRYJOHNSON@shirt.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: MASTER HENRY JOHNSON <johnsonh741@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2016 07:44:27 +0900 (JST)
Subject: HI DEAR

HI DEAR,

GREETINGS FROM BENIN REPUBLIC, I KNOW THIS MAIL WILL SURPRISE YOU SINCE I DO NOT KNOW YOU OR MEET WITH YOU BEFORE BUT I'M OF THE BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE TOUCHED TO ASSIST ME OUT OF THIS SITUATION AFTER READING THROUGH MY PROPOSAL.

I AM MASTER HENRY JOHNSON, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR. GEORGE B. JOHNSON, MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN COTONOU, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF BENIN REPUBLIC BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS ON A BUSINESS TRIP. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN COTONOU, HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$7.5MILLION (SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A FIXED DEPOSIT IN A LOCAL SECURITY FIRM, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE FUND. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE.

IT IS BASED ON THIS THAT I CONTACTED YOU AND I AM HONORABLY SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.

(1)TO HELP ME RETRIEVE THE MONEY FROM THE SECURITY FIRM AND PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO.
(2)TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND AND TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED.

FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED VERY SOON.
PLEASE CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS: johnsonh741@gmail.com
I SHALL WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS!!!
KIND REGARDS,
HENRY JOHNSON

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