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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Ato Grebo" <ato_grebo@yahoo.co.nz> (may be fake)
Reply-To: atogrebo@outgun.com
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 21:26:58 +0100
Subject: Funds Investment in your country

Dear Good Friend,

First, I will like you to take your time to go over this mail carefully and with patience. Please, this is a matter of urgency, this is because I need your help and I need it very quickly too. You were recommended to me by a good friend of mine, who is a member of Rotary International Club and I trust that you will deliver.

My name is Dr. Ato Grebo, the former Special Adviser on Special Duties (SASD) to the ousted President Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia in West African Region. The recent development in our country is no more news to the outside world. It might interest you to know that former President Charles Taylor after losing his ambition to transform himself to life time President of Liberia, he ran away to a neighbouring country, Nigeria, seeking political asylum. Some of the people that served in his cabinet including some of his former ministers, advisers and political associates, everybody is at large and some are also in exile in Nigeria.

During my tenure as the Special Adviser on Special Duties (SASD), I was also in charge of finances for his political ambition. It was while on these privilege positions that I kept in my custody the sum of US$19 million (Nineteen million US Dollars) without the fore knowledge of the former President. Moreover, the United Nations is threatening to take Mr. Charles Taylor to War Crime Tribunal for his activities in the war that is going on in Liberia and also in neighboring country of Sierra Leone. I arrived in Enugu-Nigeria with my family on 25th August 2003 for safety reasons. We were granted political asylum together with former president Charles Taylor and his entire families and over 300 former aides and workers by the President of Nigeria. Although Charles Taylor and his family has been in exile at Calabar City of Nigeria since 11th August 2003 and I am sure that they are enjoying their stays.

Now that I have settled in Nigeria, it is practical impossible for me to invest the funds in Nigeria due to their political and human right situations. The fragile political and economic systems in Africa does not encourage one for a long-term investment and based on these situations, I am sincerely seeking for your assistance to receive this fund in your account for my investment proposal and I am sure you will be compensated for your effort. This money is currently in a trust deposit with a deposit company in Nigeria and once I receive your account information, your address, including your telephone and fax numbers, I will then instruct the payment to your account and I will meet you face to face for my share and the investments. I have resolved to give you 27% of the total sum as your commission for your efforts and services, 5% for any incidental expenses while the remaining 68% will be for my investment in your country. I have concluded every arrang!
ement with the deposit company to effect complete dislodgment of this money within two (2) weeks of receipt of your response and have equally guaranteed 100% smooth transfer. We are not associated with any risk.

Kindly treat as very urgent and strictly confidential. I honestly assure you that this transaction is 100% risk-free. You may call me on my Nigeria telephone number: 234-805-6701788 for more talks on this matter or you sends me an email on:atogrebo@africamail.com I look forward to your urgent reply. Thank you for your expected cooperation. Please still let me know, even if you are not interested, so that I can urgently look for another partner, as it is a matter of urgency and important.

Best regards.

Dr. Ato Grebo





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