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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: "don cobas" <don_cobas0@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: don_cobas0@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 08:04:43 -0900
Subject: MY PLAN FOR YOU......

MOHAMMAD BELLO CRESCENT,
9TH FLOOR,WUSE TOWER,
WUSE II, ABUJA

ATTN: DEAR,

I DECIDED TO WRITE YOU EVENTHOUGH WE NOT ARE PERSONALLY ACQUAINTED WHICH IS
LARGELY DUE TO TIME FACTOR AND THE RECENT DIRECTIVE FROM THE PRESIDENCYTHAT
ALL OUTSTANDING CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND ALL CONTRACTS DUELY COMPLETED BE
SETTLED BEFORE THE END OF THIS QUARTER AND THE TENSION THIS HAS GENERATED
HERE.

WITHIN THE LAST 3YRS MY TWO COLLEAGUES AND I IN MY MINISTRY INCHARGE OF
CONTRACT PROCUREMENT AND PAYMENT OVER-INVOICED CONTRACTS TO THE SUM $30M AND
WHICH FUNDS ARE NOW READY FOR PAYMENT INTO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT - THE
ORIGINAL CONTRACTS HAVING BEEN PAID.ALL WE NEED FROM YOU TO SUCCESSFULLY
TRANSFER THE FUNDS IS TO SIGN THE CONTRACT/TRANSFER DOCUMENTS WITH THE
CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE WHICH SIGNING ACTIVATES THE RELEASE OF THE FUNDS
FROM OUR MINISTRY'S FOREIGN ACCOUNT WITH WORLDWIDE SECURITES IN LONDON INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT.WE AS CIVIL SERVANTS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY LAW TO OPERATE FOREIGN
BANK ACCOUNTS NOR MAKE CLAIMS AS CONTRACTORS!

IF YOU AGREE TO ASSIST US, WE HAVE RESOLVED TO ALLOCATE 35PERCENT TO YOU
WHILE THE REMAINING WILL BE FOR US HERE BEARING IN MIND THAT WE ARE THREE.I
MUST AT THIS JUNCTURE LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS ONE HUNDRED
PERCENT SAVE, RISKFREE AND LEGITIMATE AS LONG AS YOU DONOT TELL ANYBODY
ABOUT IT. INVARIABLY, WE REQUIRE STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY HAVING PERFECTED ALL
DOCUMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER. INFACT, WE HAVE DOCUMENTS TO SHOW THAT
YOUR FRIENDS HERE IN ABUJA HELPED TO PROCURE THE CONTRACT, FUNDED AND
EXECUTED IT ON YOUR BEHALF.

DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS AND SECURITY PURPOSES, YOU MUST REPLY THIS EMAIL AS
SOON AS YOU CAN FURNISHING ME WITH YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY
ACCESS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AS I AM READY TO EXPLAIN ANY
ASPECT YOU DONOT UNDERSTAND.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR DON COBAS


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