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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: "Mr.Bolaji Pdro" <fbengore@voila.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: bolaji@gtbhplconline.com
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 07:18:45 +0200
Subject: Hello


Dear Friend,

I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 1999, a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National petroleum Corporation, Mr.Gideon Barry made a numbered time (Fixed)Depositfor twelve calendar months, valued at US$10,500,000.00( Ten Million Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr.Gideon Barry died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Gideon Barry did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his
Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$10,500,000.00 has carefully been moved
out of my bank a International Bank in America for safe-keeping. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years,the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as an Foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money I deposited in the bank.

I am writing you because I as a public servant can not operate a foreign account or have an account that is more than $1m.I want to present you the as the next of kin to Mr.Gideon Barry , so that you can be able to claim the fund with the help of my attorney.All these are to make sure that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt
government officials.

This is simple. I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in
place as the as thenext of kin.

The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 70% for me and 25% for you and 5% will take care of all expenses.There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this will be done by the
Attorney and this will guarantee the successful execution of this deal.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via my email:bolaji@gtbplconline.com upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Please observe with utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us

Thanks and regards.


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