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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: "Timmy Taylor" <love4baity@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mail4amos247@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 15:05:19 -0700
Subject: URGENT PROPOSAL!!!!!

FROM: MR.TIMMY TAYLOR.
ATTN:CHAIMAN/CEO.

Dear,
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT.

I am MR.TIMMY TAYLOR an Executive Accountant with the Department of finance of mineral and resources in ABIDJAN,COTE D'IVOIRE.
First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to
confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium.
I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it as a top secret because of the nature of this transaction.
Within the Department of finance where I work as an Executive
Accountant and with the cooperation of two other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payment bills totaling
Twenty - One Million, Five Hundred Thousand U. S.Dollars ($21,500,000.) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and cooperation of a foreign company/individual to receive the said fund on our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company account to receive such funds. More so, we are
handicapped in the circumstances, as the Cote D'Ivoire Civil Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the whole transaction.
This amount $21.5m represents the balance of the total revenue
collections from income tax, oil lease and export duties in respect of Oil, expressed as a percentage of total tax revenues (net collections, National Revenue Account.
From this projects we have been able to secure this reasonable ammount $21.5m as commission resulting from over invoice,hench all the necessary approvals has been completed.
This amount $21.5m represents the balance of the Estimated revenue total value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual Estimated revenue cost have been paid to the original contractor,leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount which we have in principles gotten
approval to remit by Key Tested Telegraphic Transfer (K.T.T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by filing in an application through the Justice Ministry here in Cote D'Ivoire for the transfer of rights and privileges of the former contractor to you.
I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 25% of the $21.5 million, 70% for us and 5% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part provided you treat
it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.
Also your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.
Endeavor to contact me immediately on my e-mail address whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are not, it will
enable me scout for another foreign partner to carry out this deal. I want to assure you that my partners and myself are in a
position to make the payment of this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong Assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and please remember to treat this matter as very confidential matter, because we will not comprehend with any form of exposure as we are still in active Government Service and remember once again that time is of the essence in
this business.
I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

MR.TIMMY TAYLOR.





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