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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: "Dr. Roberto Appaiah" <drroberto_appaiah@zwallet.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: drroberto_appaiah@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 13:42:16 +0000
Subject: investment offer to you

FROM THE DESK OF DR ROBERTO APPAIAH
CHAIRMAN ECOWAS CONTRACT AWARDING COMMITTEE
ECOWAS FUND HEADQUARTERS
P.M.B.5028
ACCRA-REPUBLIC OF GHANA
D/LINE:+233 277-610630
Alternative Email:drroberto_appaiah@yahoo.co.uk
ACCOUNT PROVISION FOR USD45.5 MILLION
I am Dr.ROBERTO APPAIAH. The Chairman, Contract Awarding Committee
of the ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)with its
fund Headquarters in Accra-Ghana.
I got your information in a Proffesional database when I was
searching through Internet for a reliable,honest and trustworthy
person to entrust this business with.I was simply inspired and
motivated to pick your contact from the many names in the list of
the directory.
After discussing my view and your profile with my colleagues,they
were very much satisfied and decided to contact you immediately for
this mutual business relationship.We wish to transfer the sum of USD
45.5,000,000.00 (Forty five million five hundred thousand United
States Dollars only.)into your personal or company`s bank account.
This fund was a residue of the over invoiced contract bills awarded
by us intentionally for the supply of hard/soft
wares,phamaceauticals/ medical items,light and heavy duty vehicles,
apparels and other administrative/logistics for the ECOMOG in
Sierra-Leone and Liberia during the Peace Keeping Projects.
This DEAL was deliberately hatched out and carefully protected with
the cooperation and mandate of the Financial Director and the
Secretary of the Organization.We arranged and over invoiced the
contract funds supplied by different companies from different
countries during the crisis. It was our consensus to seek the
assistance of a willing foreigner to provide us with the facilities
to transfer this money out of West Africa.
This is borne out of our belief in the non-stable and porous
political nature of this sub-region. The original contractors have
been duly paid by Ecowas banker through the Central bank of Ghana
and Finance Ministry.The balance is suspended in the ECOWAS grand
Account awaiting claims by any foreign partner of our choice to
receive the fund on our behalf Now Ecowas is intending to pay all
their outstanding balance of their contractors this year as the
organization is winding up its activities since the aim of
returning PEACE to the countries and the coast has been achieved.
Based on the laws and ethics of employment,we as civil servants
working under this organization, are not allowed to operate/own a
foreign account.This is more reason why we needed your urgent
assistance to provide an account that can sustain this fund for
safe keeping and our future investment with your comprehensive
advise,assistance and partnership in your country.
It is however agreed,as the account owner in this deal to allow you
30% of the entire sum as compensation, 65% will be held on trust
for us while 5% will be used to defray any incidental charges and
cost during the course of the transaction. This transaction will be
successfully concluded within 14 days if you accord us your
unalloyed and due cooperation.
You should provide the followings for immediate kick of of this
deal if it interest you; YOUR COMPANY`S NAME WITH COMPLETE
ADDRESS,TEL AND FAX NUMBERS.(if available) THE NAME OF YOUR
BANK,ITS ADDRESS WITH TEL,FAX AND TELEX NUMBERS. THE ACCOUNT NUMBER
THE COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF THE BENEFICIARY WITH TELEPHONE AND
FAX NUMBERS.
Upon the receipt of this informations,application for claim will be
sent to you to fill and return back to the organization in pursuit
of the claim legally and then be forwarded to the organization for
ratification and subsequent payment. As with the case of all
organized (sensitive)and conspired DEALS,we solicit for your
unreserved confidentiality and utmost secret in this business. We
hope to retire peacefully and lead honorable business life
afterwards.There are no risks involved .
Kindly expedite action if you are interested as we are behind
schedule to enable us utilize this golden opportunity pay out this
fund immediately which we might stand to loose, if we fail to
provide a safe account for this transfer on time at the expiration
of this year Ecowas has mapped out for payment of all their
outstanding contractors and the dissolution of our committee.Please
urgency is needed as we do not know the time our organization will
start the payment hence it is necessary to start on time to
forestall any hitch while transferring the fund into your
designated account .
Hoping to hear from you.
With regards.
Dr.ROBERTO APPAIAH


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