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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: "martins efe" <martinsefe@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mtefe10@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 03:25:59 +0000
Subject: HELLO FRIEND

Dear Sir,


BUSINESS PROPOSAL


My name is DR Martins Efe, a member of the Presidential Task Force on
Oil Spillage Clean-up. Early last three years(2002),there was a major oil
spillage in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria which rendered over 70% of the
communities homeless.The contract was handled by a foreign firm but because
of the huge monetary profit we envisaged, we decided to over-invoice the
contract sum.Now the contract has been completed and the original contractor
has
since been paid,but the contract balance of US$31.50 million(THIRTY-ONE
MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS),which resulted from
the over invoiced contract sum that has been left in a suspense account with
the CENTRAL BANK of NIGERIA,is what me and my partners are planning to take
out of the country for ourselves.The problem is as government officials,we
are not suppose to own fat bank accounts,talk less of having foreign ones.

To this end, we are soliciting your assistance as a foreign partner who can
assist us and receive this amount into your account. We are ready to share
this money with you on the basis of participation. We also have plans to
invest part of this money in any viable business in your country under your
care,as we are nearing our retirement age.

In any case, I received a reference of you/organization from the Nigeria
Chambers of Commerce and Industry ‘Foreign Trade Division’ as a reputable
organ that can assist us on this transaction. Please if you accept my
proposal do not hesitate to send me a send me an e-mail so that I can
provide you with the basic procedures for the release of the fund.

It does not matter whether you or your company does contract project of the
nature described here, the assumption is that you won a major contract and
subcontracted it to another company, more often thannot, big trading
companies or individuals of unrelated field win major contracts here in
Nigeria and subcontracts same to more specialized firms for execution.

BENEFIT: For providing the account where we shall remit this money, you will
be entitled to 25% of the entire funds, 70% will be for me and my
partners,while 5% has been set aside to cover any expenses that maybe
incurred by both parties during this transaction, both local and
international.

Please I enjoin you to handle this transaction with utmost degree of
maturity and confidentiality because I am still in active government service
with the"NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES". If I receive
your response on time, this whole transaction could be accomplished within
the shortest possible time based on your interest and determination,since
the money is already in transit.

Awaiting your urgent response and thanks for your anticipated co operation

Yours faithfully,

DR Martins Efe


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