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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: "WILLIAM COKER" <willy_cokers02@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: willy_cokers01@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 05:42:31 -0700
Subject: CONFIDENCIAL ISSUE AND URGRNT REPLY NEEDED.

FROM:DR WILLIAMS COKER
H.O.D. ACCOUNTS.
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE .
VICTORIA ISLAND.
LAGOS - STATE.
Email:willy_cokers01@yahoo.com
234-803-415-6161

FIRST I MUST SOLICIT FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF IT BEING VERY
CONFIDENTIAL . I AM DR WILLIAMS COKER ACOUNTANT (FOREIGN
PAYMENT DEPT) WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF
FINANCE LAGOS- NIGERIA.I CAME TO KNOW YOU IN MY
SEARCH FOR A REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS
CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION WHICH INVOLVES THE HUGE
TRANSFER OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT REQUIRING
MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.WITH THE ASSISTANCE OFSOME SENIOR
OFFICALS OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,AND THE
MINISTRY OF FINANCE, WE WANT TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF
THIRTY MILLION US DOLLARS OUT OF MY
COUNTRY,NIGERIA.THE THIRTY MILLION US DOLLARS IS
AN ACCUMULATION OF OVER-INVOICED CONTRACTS WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN EXECUTED AND COMMISSIONED.THIS AMOUNT STILL LIES IN
THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE SUSPENCE ACCOUNT
WITH THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA(CBN).AS CIVIL
SERVANTS WE CAN NOT OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE
THE CODE OF CONDUCT ACT IN NIGERIA MAKES IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICER TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.
IT IS AS A RESULT OF THIS THAT WE SOLICIT YOUR
ASSISTANCE TO MAKE USE OF YOUR
PRIVATE/COMPANY'S ACCOUNT TO TRANSFER THE SAID SUM.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL MODALITIES HAS BEEN WORKED OUT
FOR A SMOOTH AND HITCH-FREE TRANSFER OF THE
US$30MILLION INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, WITHIN TEN WORKING
DAYS OF GETTING YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE AND
CONSENT.YOU WOULD BE ENTITLED TO 25% OF THE
$30,000,000:00 FOR PROVIDING US AN ACCOUNT, 70% WOULD
COME TO US IN NIGERIA, AND THE REMAINING 5% WOULD BE USED TO
OFFSET ALL LOCAL/FOREIGN EXPENDITURE ON THE FOLLOWING
GROUNDS.
(A) THAT WE ARE SATISFIED ON ALL GROUNDS THAT OUR
SHARE OF THE FUND WOULD BE GIVEN TO US AFTER TRANSFERENCE.
(B) THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS TREATED WITH UTMOST
CONFIDENCE,SECRECY AND ABSOLUTE SINCERITY, WHICH IT DEMANDS. ! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE PROPOSAL,YOU CAN CONTACT ME THROUGH
MY E MAIL; ADDRESSES:willy_cokers01@yahoo.com
TO ENABLE US DISCUSS FURTHER DETAILS ON THE
TRANSACTION. YOU ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A SECURED TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE
OF THIS TRANSACTION.
EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR .WILLIAMS COKER.



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