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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: "steve howard" <jeffigho@jeffigho.com>
Reply-To: jeffigh05@yahoo.it
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 23:41:37 +0000
Subject: I am still waiting for your urgent response

Dear Sir,

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP. - STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Firstly,
I sincerely apologize

for breaking into your privacy, however I have decided to contact you
through this medium due to the urgency of this proposed business
transaction. I got your contact over the Internet during my search for
assistance in this mutual beneficial business transaction. I must first
solicit your strictest confidentiality in this transaction. This is by
virtue of its nature as being utterly CONFIDENTIAL and “TOP SECRET”. Though
I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive
and worried, considering the fact that we have not met each other before,
but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.

I am Jeff Igho an Accountant by profession and also a Director General in
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Right now I am presently
the chairman of the Contract Awards/Review and Payment Approvals committee
of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. My colleagues and I are
presently looking for a very reliable and God-fearing person to handle a
highly confidential business transaction for us, which involves the transfer
of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring maximum CONFIDENCE. My
colleagues and I are top Officials of the
Federal Government Contract Review and Award Panel.

Our duties include Evaluation, Vetting, and Approval for payment of Contract
jobs done for the N.N.P.C etc. In order to commence this business we solicit
for your assistance with the transfer of the said funds into any bank
account you will provide for this business. The source of these funds is as
follows: In the first quarter of 2004 this committee was mandated to review
and award contracts to the tune of over US$400 million US dollars to a group
of five firms for the supply, construction and installation of Oil Pipe
lines in Warri and Port Harcourt environs. During this process my colleagues
and I decided and agreed among ourselves to deliberately over-inflate the
total contract sum from US$400 million to US$416 million with the main
intention of sharing the remaining sum of US$16 million amongst ourselves.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has since early this year approved the sum
of US$416 million for us as the contract payment, and the sum of US$400
million has also been paid out to the foreign companies concerned as
contract entitlements for the various jobs done, but since the companies are
entitled to US$400 million dollars only, we are now left with US$16 million
dollars balance in the account which we intend to disburse amongst ourselves
quickly, but by virtue of our positions as civil servants and members of
this panel, we cannot do this by ourselves, as we are prohibited by the Code
of Conduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/or operating foreign
accounts in our names while still in Government service, making it
impossible for us to acquire the money in our names right now.

Consequently, I have therefore been delegated as a matter of trust and
urgency by my colleagues in the panel to look for an overseas partner into
whose account we would transfer the sum of US$16 million. Hence I am writing
you this letter. My Colleagues and I have agreed that if you or your company
can act as the beneficiary of these funds on our behalf, you or your Company
will retain 20% of the total amount (US$16 million), while 60% will be for
us (OFFICIALS) and the remaining 20% will be used in offsetting all
debts/expenses and Taxes incurred both local and foreign in the cause of
this transfer. Needless to say, the trust reposed on you at this juncture is
enormous. In return we demand your complete honesty and trust. You must
however NOTE therefore, that this transaction will be strictly based on the
following terms and conditions as we have stated below;

a) Our conviction of your transparent honesty and diligence

b) That you would treat this transaction with utmost secrecy and
Confidentiality

c) That you will not ask for more share or try to sit on the funds Once it
is under your custody, or any form of blackmail.

d) That upon receipt of the funds you will release the funds as Instructed
by us after you have removed your share of 20% from the Total amount.
Please, note that this transaction is 100% safe, legal and risk free and we
hope to conclude this transaction 7 bank working days from the date of
receipt of the necessary requirements from you. We are looking forward to
doing business with you and solicit your Total Confidentiality in this
transaction. There is no cause for alarm. I give you my word that you are
completely safe in doing business with us. Transactions like this have been
successfully carried out in the past by most Government executives.

Here in my country there is great economic and political disarray and thus
looting and corruption is rampant and the order of the day amongst high
ranking government officials, thus explaining why you might have heard
stories of how money is been looted out of Nigeria most especially by our
past Presidents, they are doing it for their own selfish interest while we
are doing it because we have to secure a good future for ourselves and our
families, so that when we retire from active service we do not languish in
poverty. Presently we are grossly underpaid as compared to our counterparts
in the western world.

My country is blessed with so many natural resources but the revenue from
these are being embezzled on a daily basis by those in the corridors of
power without a thought for others. I will explain more to you when I have
heard from you. Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter using the
above email address. I will bring you into the complete picture of this
pending business transaction when I have heard from you and also receive
your confidential telephone and fax numbers to enable me fax to you all
necessary information you need to know about our pending business
transaction. I will also forward to you copy of my International passport so
you know whom you are dealing with. Your urgent response will be highly
appreciated to enable us still transfer the funds under this first financial
quarter of the year 2005.

Thank you and God Bless.

Yours faithfully,

Jeff Igho

N.B. PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THIS BUSINESS TRANSACTION IS 100% LEGAL AND
COMPLETELY FREE FROM TERRORIST, DRUG MONEY OR MONEY LAUNDERING.THIS IS A
COMPLETE AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS TRANSACTION.


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