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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Blay Meizer" <meizer45@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mart45@inbox.com
Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 08:03:20 +0100
Subject: re:indeed trust

Dear one,
I am Blay Meizer, the chairman, contract award and tender committee of African Union (A.U) with sub-head in Accra Ghana. I got your contact during my search for a reliable person to entrust this huge money transfer project with. My colleagues and I involved in this project have Agreed to seek your mutual partnership into this huge Money transfer project.
We wish to transfer the sum of (twenty million united state dollars)
US$20,000,000.00 to your personal or company Account. This fund originated from over invoiced Contract bills awarded by us for the supply of pharmaceutical and Medical equipment to the ECOMOG PEACEKEEPING Mission In Liberia and Sierra-Leone Civil Wars.
This over invoiced sum was deliberately hatched out and Carefully
protected with all attendant lope holes Sealed off. The original executors of the contracts have been Duly paid through E.R.D.B (Eco Resources Diplomatic Bank)
This over invoiced sum is suspended in an escrow account awaiting
claims by any foreign person/company we may front as the owner. Based On the law and ethics of our service to A.U, we as Civil servants are not allowed to operate a foreign Account.
You are offered 20% of the total sum as commission, 75% will be held on
trust for us, while 5% is set aside to reimburse expenses incurred in the
course of executing the project. This project is expected to be concluded within 14 days if you accord us your maximum co-operation.
We solicit for your unreserved confidentiality in this project.

There is no risk involved. Call me upon the receipt of this mail for more details on the procedure via email.
Honorably yours,
Blay Meizer



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