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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: "ENG PETERSON ZUMA" <peterson_zuma2002@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 22:00:55 +0200
Subject: PARTNERSHIP

ENG.PETERSON ZUMA
DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY,
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA.
email:peterson_zuma2002@yahoo.co.uk
ATTN: SIR/MADAM
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT
It is my great pleasure to write you this letter on behalf of my
colleagues. Your information was given to me by a member of the South
African
Export Promotion Council (SAEPC) who was with the Government
delegation
on a trip to your country for a bilateral conference talk to encourage
foreign investors. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation
with you in the execution of the deal hereunder for the benefit of all
parties and hope you will keep it confidential because of the nature
of
this business.
Within the Department of Minerals & Energy where I work as a Director
of Audit and Project Implementation and with the co-operation of two
other top officials, we have in our possession an overdue payment in
US
funds.
The said funds represent certain percentage of the total contract
value
executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm,
which we the officials over-invoiced to the amount of US$26.500,000.00
(TwentySix Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars). Though the
actual
contract cost has been paid to the original contractor, leaving the
excess
balance unclaimed.
Since the present elected Government is determined to pay foreign
contractors all debts owed, so as to maintain good relationship with
foreign
governments and non-government agencies, we included our bills for
approvals with the Department of Finance and the South Africa Reserve
Bank
(SARB). We are seeking your assistance to front as beneficiary of the
unclaimed funds, since we are not allowed to operate foreign accounts.
Details and change of beneficiary information upon application for
claim
to reflect payment and approvals will be secured on behalf of you/your
Company.
I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should
you
be willing to assist us in this transaction your share as compensation
will be US$6.625m (25%), while my colleagues and I receive US$17.225m
(65%) and the balance of US$2.650m (10%) for taxation and
miscellaneous
expenses incurred.
The business is completely safe and secure, provided you treat it with
utmost confidentiality. It does not matter whether you/your Company
does contract projects, as a transfer of powers will be secured in
favour
of you/your Company. 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 us.
Kindly notify me through the above email address

for further details upon your acceptance of this proposal.
Thanks for your co-operation.
Regards,
ENG.PETERSON ZUMA


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