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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: "ROBERTO NGHEYDO" <roberto_nghey@zwallet.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 18:29:53 +0200
Subject: PRIVATE AND SERIOUS (PLEASE DEAR READ IT CORRECT) !!!

DEAR,

THIS LETTER WILL REALLY COME TO YOU AS A BIG SURPRISE;
MEANWHILE I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM THE INFORMATION CENTRE HERE IN COTONOU BENIN.

I AM ALIVE TODAY WITH THE SLIT STRIKE OF LUCK AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

WE NEARLY LOST EVERY THING BEFORE COMING TO THE REFUGEE CAMP, WHERE WE ARE PRESENTLY STAYING IN COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

I CHOOSE YOU AFTER PRAYING TO GOD ALMIGHTY FOR ASSISTANCE.

I HAVE NOT MET WITH YOU BEFORE AND YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ME TOO, BUT I MUST BEG FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST HOPE FOR YOU TO STAND AS A NEW BENEFICIARY FOR ME AND MY SISTER TO OUR LATE FATHER'S FUNDS DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN
COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN FOR SAFE KEEPING BEFORE HIS DEATH IN THE HANDS OF THE REBELS IN OUR COUNTRY LIBERIA.

THE SECURITY COMPANY CAN ONLY RELEASE THIS FUND TO ANYBODY WHOM I IDENTIFY AS MY FATHER'S FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER, WHO WILL HELP US TO MANAGE THE FUND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS MY FATHER'S AGREEMENT WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY AT THE TIME OF DEPOSIT.

WITH OUR PRESENT SITUATION IN COTONOU-BENIN I REALLY BEG YOU TO STAND FOR ME AND MY SISTER AS MY LATE FATHER'S FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS AS THE NEW BENEFICIARY.

OUR FATHER WAS THE FORMER DIRECTOR GENERAL LIBERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION, HE GOT THIS MONEY, AND HE DEPOSITED IT IN A VAULT OF A SECURITY COMPANY FOR SAFE KEEPING IN COTONOU BENIN, BEFORE HIS DEATH.

THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS ($25,000.000.00 USD) (TWENTY FIVE MILLION US
DOLLAR).

PLEASE DROP THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS:

1/ PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER

2/ FAX NUMBER

3/ E-MAIL ADDRESS

4/ FULL NAME

WHICH I CAN ALWAYS REACH YOU.

I REALLY WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME SO THAT BOTH OF US CAN WORK AS BUSINESS PARTNERS IN MOVING THIS FUND OUT OF BENIN FOR INVESTMENT AT YOUR END.

DEAR SIR,THERE IS NOTHING TO FEARS.

I WANT TO GUARANTEE YOU AS REGARDS THIS TRANSACTION; ALL ARRANGEMENT AND MEANS ARE IN PLACE TO MOVE THIS FUND.

AS SOON AS YOU ACCEPTED TO WORK WITH ME FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL AND YOUR SHARE ON THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM.

NOTE ALSO THERE IS NO RISK TO IT, ONLY YOUR HONESTY IS WHAT I NEED.

SHOULD I BE EXPECTING YOUR POSITIVE, AND URGENT RESPONSES.

YOURS SINCERELY.

ROBERTO NGHEYDO





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