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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: "Engr. Amani Pop" <mayorbiz45@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 13:56:51 +0100
Subject: contract proposal

Dear Sir,
This letter might come as a surpise to you.
Especially since we have never met or discussed before. Basically the message might sound strange , but it is factual in reality if only you care to know and participate.
The truth is that I should have notified you first through a more confidential means, (even if it’s at least to respect your integrity) please accept my humble apology if I had caught you unwares, I franckly do not mean any harm in passing my goodwill message.
We are members of the Special Committee for Budget and Planning of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. This Committee is principally concerned with contract appraisal and the approval of contract in order of priorities as regards capital projects of the government of Côte d’Ivoire. With our positions we have successfully secured for ourselves the sum of Fifteen Million, Five-Hunderd-Thousands Dollars(US$15.5M). This amount was accumulated from the over invoiced of duly executed contract.
Hence, together with some of the top officials of the F.M.W.H-CI and the Federal Minsitry of Finance. We plan to transfer this amount of money Fifteen Million, Five-Hunderd- Thousands Dollars( US$15.5M), into your overseas account by awarding a non existing contract from my Minstry (FMWH). To this effect, I decided to contact you and ask for your assistance.
What we need from you Sir, is to provide a very good account in which the funds will be transferred. My colleagues and I have agreed to compensate the owner of the account used for the transaction with 25% of the total amount; 70% will be for our side while the remaining 5% reserved for taxes and other miscallenous expenses.
Finally, the confidence and trust reposed on you cannot be over emphasised. Therefore, you are to keep this deal to yourself confidentially
Those of us involved are top officers in the Government and so we need to treat this transaction a Top Secret for our protection and for the interest and smooth success of all.
Contact me urgently through E-mail : mayorbiz_45@yahoo.co.jp <mailto:mayorbiz_45@yahoo.co.jp>
or amani_pop@yahoo.com <mailto:amani_pop@yahoo.com> with your details information .
Yours faithfully,
Engr. AMANI POP.


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