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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Sandra Frank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sandrafrank_mrs05@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2020 16:54:48 +0100
Subject: ***GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST***

DEAR BELOVED,
GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. I AM MRS SANDRA FRANK,A WIDOW TO LATE MICHEAL FRANK I AM 65 YEARS OLD, I AM CHRISTIAN, SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST, FROM ALL INDICATION MY CONDITIONS IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I WILL NOT LIVE MORE THAN 2 MONTHS, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS, THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE. MY LATE HUSBAND WAS KILLED DURING TERRORISM ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN, AND DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR MARRIAGE WE COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY CHILD.
MY LATE HUSBAND WAS A CONTRACT ENGINEER WITH THE OIL/GAS/MINING COMPANY, UPON HIS DEATH HE WORKS AS CONTRACTOR WITH THE COMPANIES. SO WHEN THE NEWS OF HIS DEATH CAME ACROSS I AS THE ONLY NEXT OF KIN HAS TO GO FOR THE INSURANCE AND BENEFITS, WHICH AMOUNT TO $5,000.000.00U.USD (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) AND WAS DEPOSITED INTO HIS ACCOUNT. THE DOCTORS HAS ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN 2 MONTHS, SO I HAVE DECIDED TO DIVIDE THE PART OF THIS WEALTH, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICA, AMERICA ASIA, AND EUROPE. I SELECTED YOU AFTER VISITING THE WEBSITE AND I PRAYED OVER IT. I AM WILLING TO DONATE THE SUM OF $5,000.000.00U.USD (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED.
PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT FUND IS LYING IN A FINANCE INSTITUTION IN LONDON, AND UPON MY INSTRUCTION, MY ATTORNEY, WHO PRESENTLY IS IN LONDON WILL FILE IN AN APPLICATION FOR YOU FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY IN YOUR NAME. LASTLY, I HONESTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED WILL BE SURE FOR THE SAID PURPOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUT CHRIST IS VANITY [Ecclesiastes 1:2-11]. MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
I AWAIT URGENT REPLY.
YOURS IN CHRIST.
MRS SANDRA FRANK

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