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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: BODE GEORGE <bodesaf@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 21:20:30 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Confidential Business Proposal


MR. BODE GEORGE.
LAGOS NIGERIA
PHONE: 234-8034263299

DEAR FRANK,

REQUEST FOR URGENT TRANSFER OF $12 MILLION INTO YOUR COMPANY OR PERSONAL ACCOUNT.

I AM MR.BODE GEORGE, AN ACCOUNTANT WITH THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC POWER AUTHORITY (NEPA) I WRITE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT YOUR WILLINGNESS AND INTEREST TO HANDLE A VERY STRICTLY, CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION WHICH INVOLVES TRANSFER OF A REASONABLE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THERE IS US$12M (TWELVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN MY DEPARTMENT AWAITING REMITTANCE.
THIS MONEY REPRESENTS THE SURPLUS OF A DELIBERATE OVER VALUED CONTRACT EXECUTED FOR THE CORPORATION SOME YEARS BACK. THIS CONTRACT HAS LONG BEEN COMPLETED BY A FOREIGN FIRM AND THE
CONTRACTOR DULY PAID.

I NOW SEEK IF YOU WOULD PERMIT THE SURPLUS TO BE REMITTED INTO YOUR PERSONAL/COMPANY ACCOUNT, SO THAT THE MONEY REMITTED WILL BE SHARED MUTUALLY AMONG THE PARTIES CONCERNED, INCLUDING YOU. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE ARE TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WE CANNOT OPENLY COME OUT TO CLAIM THIS MONEY; NEITHER ARE WE ALLOWED TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT, UNTIL WE ARE EITHER RETIRED OR RESIGNED FROM CIVIL SERVICE.

THIS IS WHERE THE REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE COMES IN, IN TERMS OF PROVIDING THE BANK AND ACCOUNT PARTICULARS SO THAT SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE TENDERED BY US HERE IN NIGERIA AS ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT EXECUTED THE PROJECT.

I WOULD WANT TO EMPHASISE HERE THAT YOU SHOULD BE REST ASSURED THAT YOUR INTEREST IS HIGHLY PROTECTED, AND THE BUSINESS IS 100% RISK FREE AS WE KNOW AND HAVE CONCLUDED ARRANGEMENTS ON HOW TO GO ABOUT PROCESSING THE DOCUMENTS FOR THE TRANSFER.

HOWEVER, I WOULD WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR PERSONAL ASSURANCE THAT YOU WOULD NOT SIT ON THE MONEY WHEN IT GOES INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KEEP CONFIDENTIAL OF THIS TRANSACTION, IN ORDER NOT TO TARNISH THE CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN THE OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSACTION.

TENTATIVELY, WE HAVE AGREED THAT 70% OF THE MONEY GOES TO THE OFFICERS WHERE THIS MONEY ORIGINATED, 25% TO THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT, AND 5% MAPPED OUT TO DEFRAY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE DURING THE COURSE OF TRANSFER OF THE MONEY. I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION REQUIRES THE MOST URGENT REPLY AND ATTENTION TO ENABLE US PULL OUT THIS MONEY SOONEST.

YOU ARE EXPECTED TO FORWARD TO ME THROUGH THE ABOVE E-MAIL THE FOLLOWING DETAILS:-

(A) NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE BANK WHERE YOU WANT THE MONEY TO BE TRANSFERRED, INCLUDING THE ACCOUN NUMBER.
(B) TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS OF THE BANK.
(C) YOUR PERSONAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY AND CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSIONS.

A MEETING OF ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE FEW DAYS BEFORE THE REMITTANCE IS TO BE MADE. WE LEAVE THE MEETING VENUE AND GO DIRECT TO ANY COUNTRY WHERE THE MONEY IS TRANSFERRED TO IMPLEMENT THE SHARING.

BE INFORMED THAT ON THE COMPLETION OF THIS BUSINESS, I WILL USE MY SHARE OF THE MONEY, EITHER TO INVEST IN YOUR COUNTRY OR TO PROCURE GOODS FROM YOUR COMPANY OR ANY COMPANY YOU MAY INTRODUCE IF YOU SO WISH.

FINALLY, ON ACCEPTANCE OF THIS REQUEST, PLEASE REPLY THROUGH THE ABOVE E-MAIL URGENTLY. THIS IS TO GUARANTEE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF YOUR INTEREST. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER DETAILS IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THIS OFFER.

BEST REGARDS.

Mr.BODE GEORGE.











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