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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: marcdiko@easyinfomail.co.za
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 06:44:43 +0000
Subject: URGENT

From The Desk of: MARCUS DIKO.
TEL: 0027 83 435 6628.
Fax: 0027 11 507 5049.

Dear Sir,

I am MARCUS DIKO, a Native of CAPE TOWN in South Africa. An Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Mining & Natural Resources. Be informed that a member of the South African Export Promotion Council (SAEPC) who was at the Government delegation to your country during a trade exhibition gave your enviable credentials\particulars to me. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it as a top secret because of the nature of this transaction.

Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources where I work as a Director and with the co-operation of three other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payments bills totaling Twenty Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand Untied States Dollars (US$28,500,000.00) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and co operation of a foreign company\individual account to receive the said fund on our behalf into a reliable account depending on your convenience.

More so, we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service Code Of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the whole transaction. This amount (US$28.5M) represents the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original contractor, leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount, which we have in principles gotten approval to remit.

I have authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 15%of the US$28.5 Million, 80% for us and 5% set aside to settle taxation and miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me. Endeavor to contact me immediately. I want to assure you that my partners and myself are in position to make the payment of this claim possible.

Yours Faithfully,

MARCUS DIKO(Mr.)

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