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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: "Mr. Peter Ime" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <peterime2@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 22:01:35 -0800
Subject: Important Info

Mr. Peter Ime.
Accounts Department,
Exxon Mobil Corporation,
Nigeria.
 
 
Greetings,
 
Your urgent Partnership is required.
I am aware that this is certainly an unconventional approach to starting a relationship but I believe knowing each other starts from a step of which I believe I am not making a mistake exposing this very important business offer to you? Firstly, let me identify myself without any intention of equivocation.
I am Mr. Peter Ime, the head of account of Exxon Mobil Corporation Nigeria ( Crude Oil exploration Company) here in Nigeria, I got your email contact on the internet in a desperate search for a reliable partner there in your Country to champion this transaction that is of mutual benefit to you and me .
First I will like to give you brief information about the deal I am to present to you, I am the head of account of this Company and also a member of the contract awarding committee (CAC), in the year 2007 a foreigner and a registered contractor of this company was awarded a contract value of Eighteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars [$18.5M] and the contract was dully completed as at the time of payment 3months after completion, the payment was transferred into his domiciliary personal bank account here in Nigeria as the director of the Company.
After several years of making this payment into this directors bank account, the bank has expected this director to come up for the monthly running of this account, but this has not been on further investigation it was discovered that this foreigner was killed in a Gas explosion in the United Kingdom and the bank has expected the relative or business associate of this late contractor to put in claims on the fund in this account, but this has not been since the year 2007.
The bank has recently sent a notification letter to my Company on the arrangement to declare this fund unclaimed and be transferred into the treasury account with 40% commission, on getting this information  I have quickly intervened by responding to the bank that I have been in communication with the business partner of this late contractor, my company is not aware of this arrangement, I wish to arrange the release of the money to you by re-profiling the ownership with your details, as the business associate of this late contractor provided you are ready and willing to cooperate with me. I can guide you confidently on the process to the claim and release of the fund to you for our mutual benefit instead of allowing the money to be forfeited to the Government, because the rightful owner is a citizen of your country.
On the completion of this fund into your account, the sharing should be thus:-
50% is for me as the initiator and I will confidently hand over to you all the essential documents on this very contract that the payment is lying unclaimed in the bank, you will also guide me on the investment of this my share into real estate there in your country.
45% should be for you as my partner, considering the essential role that you will play in this transaction.
5% should be for hidden expense reimbursement that we should incur on the legal actualization of this project in your favor.
What I need is the conviction that you have the capacity to receive and invest such volume of fund in a legal business for our mutual benefit, Please email me the following:-
Name in full
Address in Full
Your Mobile/cell phone number
Brief information on your profile this should include your age, marital status and nature of Job.
Get back to me with my private email below: (peterime2@yahoo.com.hk)
I wish to stop for now until I am certain we can do this together, then I will give you more details.
Regards,
Mr. Peter Ime

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