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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: "MR MICHAEL JOHNSON" <micjon@bol.com.br> (may be fake)
Reply-To: micjon27@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 12:57:51 +0000
Subject: hello dear

The financial controlled office
Ministry of Agriculture,
High street Accra Ghana

Attn: President/Ceo

PLEASE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL REQUEST FOR URGENT
BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
I am Mr. Michael Johnson, The financial controller in the Federal Ministry Of Agriculture (FMA) Headquarters Accra Ghana. 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 Twelve MILLION U.S DOLLARS ONLY (US$12,000,000). This money is deposited in the FMA Treasury account with the Central Bank of Ghana.

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 N.D.C regime headed by JJ Rawlings as the President. 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 represents the over invoiced sum. We have been safeguarding this money for a long period of time for its 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 a foreign 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 companyÃÔ or personal account. A very good friend who works with the Ghana export promotion!
council made your address available to us and he assured us of your companyÃÔ viability and
capability in business transaction. This assurance gave us the courage to link you up in this particular
transaction and 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. My colleagues and I will take 60% while we set aside 10% for any expenses that may incur 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 application for payment approval to the concerned Ministries and final to the Central Bank of Ghana (G.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 ËÐff of this transaction have been worked out and further action will commence immediately we hear from you. I am waiting for your reply via my private email address.

Thanks, and God be with you.
Regards from,
Michael Johnson


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