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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: "Chris Uba" <greatchris0405@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 10:08:42 -0800
Subject: TRUSTING YOU

Office of the financial controller.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture,
Building 6/7 Falomo Lagos, Nigeria.

Dear friend,

I am Dr Chris Uba,The financial controller in the Federal
Ministry Of Agriculture (FMA) Headquarters lagos. I am writing
on behalf of my colleagues in the Ministry and have been
assigned to seek for the assistance of a reliable foreign
company through which we can transfer the sum of THIRTY
MILLION U.S DOLLARS ONLY (US$30,000,000). This money is
deposited in the FMA Treasury account with the Central Bank of
Nigeria.

ORIGIN OF THE FUND: This sum arose from the deliberated
over-invoicing of contract awarded by my ministry to foreign
firm in the twilight days of the last military regime. This
contract has been completely executed and commissioned and the
contractor that handled this contract has collected his full
and final payment thus leaving behind the above stated amount
which represent the over invoiced sum. We have been
safeguarding this money for conducive time for it’s transfer
out of the country for our personal use. However, the code of

employment does not allow us (civil servants) to own ! and
operate foreign account and because the contract was handled
by aforeign firm and the payment made in dollars, we now need
a foreign partner that will present himself as the
sub-contractor so that the fund will be transfer into your
company’s or personal account.Your address was made available
to us by a very good friend who work with the Nigeria export
promotion council and he assured us ofyour company’s
viability and capability in business transaction. This
assurance gave us the courage to link you up in this
particular transaction an! d I hope it will be of mutual
benefit to all of us. Note that the nature of your business is
not particularly relevant to the success of the transaction.
All we require is your willingness to present yourself as the
subcontractor by providing your bank information so that the

fund will be transferred into your account.
SHARING RATIO:For your assistance in this business , your
share will be 30% of the total fund. I and my colleagues will
take 60% while we set aside 10% for any expenses that may
incurred in the course of this transaction. If you are willing
to assist us in this business.Forward the particulars of your
bank account and also your private phone and fax numbers. This
information will enable us put an applicationfor payment
approval to the concerned Ministries and final to the Central
Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N) and it is going to last for 6-7
working days starting from the day we receive the above
information. All modalities for the take –off of this
transaction have been worked out and further action will
commence immediately we hear from you. I am waiting for your reply

Thanks,

yours faithfully.

Dr Chris Uba.




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