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: "audu ballah" <audu_ballah7@msn.com>
Reply-To: audubala1977@yahoo.ca
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:37:26 +0000
Subject: CAN WE WORK TOGETHER ?

Dear Sir / Ma
 
I do hope this letter will not come to you as a surprise; it was borne out of my sincere desire to share a mutual business relationship with you.
 
I work as a protocol officer to United Nations Finance Security Vault Company UK-London. I got the Information concerning you from chamber of commerce profile. I decided to contact you believing that by the Grace of GOD you will accept to be my partner in this business.
 
I have been working with this Company for years now. Within this period, I have watched with meticulous precision how African Heads of States and Government officials across the world have been using United Nations Finance Security Vault Company UK-London to move huge sums of money USD, Pounds Sterling, French Francs- (Cash ) to their foreign partners.
They bring in these consignments of money cash and secretly declare the Contents as precious stones, family treasure, African Art- works / Antiquities etc.
 
 All these people (Late Gyansingbe Eyadema of Togo, Late General Sanni Abacha of Nigeria, Late Mobutu Sese-Seko of Zaire, Foday Sankoy of Sierra Leone etc.) have hundreds of consignments deposited with United Nations Finance Security Vault Company UK-London. Their foreign partners, friends and relatives, are claiming most of these consignment. A lot of them are lying here unclaimed for as much as fifteen years; Now, nobody may ever come for them because in most cases, the documents of deposits are never available to anybody except the depositors and most of them are death dead.
 
Sometime last year (2005), United Nations Finance Security Vault Company UK-London changed the procedure of claims of consignments; it will be released to you upon demand. From our records, more than 80 consignments are unclaimed right now. This is why I am, soliciting for your cooperation and assistance. I have finalized every arrangement if you will be able to come and claim consignment No.1200BA containing USD10.5M or consignment No.1201BB containing USD15M.
 
My Duty is to change all the documents information to your name to enable you act as the Depositor/Claimant. You will Deal directly with the management. The procedure is simple; you will apply officially to the Director of Operations of United Nations Finance Security Vault Company UK-London for the release of Consignment No 1200BA and 1201BB. They will demand some documents and secret codes which I will give to you before hand to fax to them.
 
As soon as they confirm it to be correct. They will direct you to the country where you will collect the consignment. But, if you do not want to travel too far you can arrange with them to transfer the consignment to any where on agreement.
 
Nobody will ever know I am involved in the deal except my representative who will be with you at the point of collection of the money. I suggest, upon conclusion we share 50-50 each way. At the successful conclusion of this deal, I will retire from this company and live a better life out of this country with my family.
 
I assure you that, the business have been hatched for years now, it is very secure and 100% risk free.
 
For further explanations and directives on the procedures reach me
immediately as you can equally contact me through this my private e-
mail
 
I wait very anxiously to hearing from you asap.
 
Best Regards
MR. AUDU BALLAH

Anti-fraud resources: