joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.John Aku" <akujohn@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mrjohnaku@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:18:25 +0000
Subject: AN URGEN BEQUEST REQUEST.

NIG. NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION,
FROM THE DESK OF MR.JOHN AKU
DIRECTOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (NNPC)
TEL: 234-1-803 344 8597
FAX:234-1-803 344 8597
EMAIL: mrjohnaku@ny.com

JOINT VENTURE

Dear Sir,

Compliment of the season.

I strongly apologize for this unsolicited mail, but I am constrained by circumstances surrounding my profession .I have the mandate of my colleagues in office to solicite for your assistance for a deal we want to execute The business involves the remittance of US$8.6M(Eight million six hundred thousand United States Dollars) to your bank account from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The money accrued through deliberate over-invoicing of old projects executed for the Government by someforeign firms.

I and few officials here have worked out a scheme to benefit us along with any foreign partner who obliges us the materials and channel to push out the fund, our idea being to come over thereafter to share the fund with whoever assist us.

To make things easy and legal, the fund is reflecting in our records as payable to a foreigner who did a consultancy service job for the ministry durin the turn around maintenance of one our petroleum refinery.All necessary and relevant documents will be procured for the release and transfer of the fund into yournominated account.

Please get in touch with me immediately through my email address and attention the undersigned or call me with my direct line:234-1-4722080.For your participation in realizing this transaction 20% will be for you,70% for me and other officials and 10% for any expense we may incur (both parties) during processing for the transfer to your nominated bank account.

I am awaiting your response most urgently and is rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free, as there is no risk involved on both
sides.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr.John Aku
DIRECTOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (NNPC)


Anti-fraud resources: