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 Ruth Benson <ruth.benson0@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsruthbenson24@yahoo.es
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:17:42 +0000
Subject: Greetings From Mrs. Ruth Benson

Greetings From Mrs. Ruth Benson,
With due Respect and Humanity I write to donate and hand over some
fund to you for charity work for community development (Like: Building
home for the old aged, Orphanage Homes, taking care of the widows in
the community etc), I am Mrs. Ruth Benson, I have been diagnosed of
cancer a few years ago immediately after the death of my husband who
left me everything he had worked for here in ivory coast, I am married
to Late Mr. Jean Benson who was until his death worked with Oil
Company (PETROCI) Cote d’Ivoire; we were married for many years
without a child. I am now very sick, after going through some medical
checkup my doctor told me that my condition is very critical due to
Colon Cancer that I should pray hard.

When my husband was alive, He deposited the sum of (US$2.8M) Two
million eight hundred thousand dollars deposited in a Finance Security
firm here in Abidjan, Ivory Coast capital. Presently this money is
still in the Vault of the firm. Having known my condition I decided to
donate this money to any volunteer person, Individual, NGOs, and
Government Organizations, that will use this fund for the charity
purpose I mentioned above.

Though I don't know you or met you before but I believe that God will
work through you in accomplishing his will. I want you to always
remember me in your daily prayers because of my upcoming Cancer
Surgery.

As soon as I receive your massage in acceptance of working with this
charities mention above, I will give you more details and the contact
of the Finance Security firm here in Abidjan Ivory Coast. Please
assure me that you will act accordingly as I have Stated herein.
Expecting to receive your re-assuring reply.

Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours Sister,
Mrs. Ruth Benson.

Anti-fraud resources: