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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: "JAMES EDWARD" <jamesedward1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 07 Jul 2005 13:33:23 +0000
Subject: HELLO

Mr.JAMES EDWARD.
Lagos-Nigeria.
Reply to: jedward1@walla.com


ATTN:THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.

Dear Sir,

I know this will come to you as a surprise but never mind, I got your
contact in my search for a reputable and trust worthy person/Company, who
can stand confidently with me in this successful business arrangement.
Before I proceed, I will like to introduce my humble self to you.

I am, the Auditor General of a Government Accredited Oil Company here in
Nigeria. Certainly, the prompting of this letter to you is anchored on my
strong desire to solicit your sincere understanding and co- operation in
this transaction that would certainly boost the financial stand of both
parties involved when completed. As a matter of fact, We want to transfer to
overseas (US$152,000.000.00 USD) One hundred and Fifty two million United
States Dollars) from the Oil company's operating Bank account here in
Africa, I want you to quietly look for a reliable and
honest person who will be capable and fit to provide either an existing bank
account or to set up a new Bank A/C immediately to receive this money, even
an empty account can serve to receive this money, as long as youwill remain
honest to me till the end of this important transaction, trusting in you and
believing in God that you will never let me down either now or in the near
future.

In all honesty, during the course of our auditing I discovered a floating
fund of the above mentioned amount in account opened with the bank in 1990
and since then, nobody has operated on this account again, after going
through some old files in the records I discovered that the money in the
account was mapped out for the refurbishment of the Oil Company's
Machineries. Meanwhile, Mr. Magnus Leon, the President of the Oil Company
was the only signatory to the account, but unfortunately he died after a
brief illness in 1993. And no other person knows about this account
or any thing concerning it, and the account has no other beneficiary.And my
investigation proved to me that Mr. Magnus Leon, until his death had wanted
to siphoned that money into his personal account in New York hence he did
not disclose the operating devises of the account to the
Board of Trustees.

I am only contacting you in this regard, based on the fact that you are a
foreigner because, this money can only be approved to any foreigner who can
present all documents that will prove that he/she is the Next of
Kin/Beneficiary to the account base on the fact that Mr. Magnus Leon
the owner of this account is a foreigner, and the money can only be approved
into a foreign bank account.

Therefore, if you are capable of handling this transaction with me, lets
make the necessary arrangement for the hitch-free transfer of this money to
any safe bank account that you may nominate, on a share percentage bases.We
will start the first transfer with Fifty Two
Million USD [$52,000.000] upon the successful actualization of the first
transfer, without any disappointment from your side; we shall re- apply for
the payment of the remaining amount, to your account. However, we shall sign
a binding agreement, to bind us together as partners in this
regard.

I am revealing this to you with believe in God that you will never let me
down in this business, you are the first and the only person that I am
contacting for this business, so please reply urgently and indicate your
sincere interest, so that I can inform you on the modalities already mapped
out for the hitch-free transfer of the money out of Africa here.

I will require your direct phone and fax number for easy contacting you I
need your full co-operation to make this work adequately. Upon your positive
response and once I am convinced that you are capable and Willing to meet up
with the instructions of the top bank official that is deeply involved with
me in this business, I shall commence actions immediately to process the
payment of the money in your favor as the beneficiary.With my influence and
the position of the bank official we
can transfer this money to any reliable foreign bank account, which you can
provide.

I am looking forward in anticipation to hearing from you soon as possible.

Yours truly,

Mr.JAMES EDWARD


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