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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: "Ade Williams" <adewilliams001@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 09:34:58 -0700
Subject: FROM ADE WILLIAMS/URGENTION ATTENTION

ADE WILLIAMS
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF MINES AND POWER
FEDERAL SECRETARIAT IKOYI LAGOS,NIGERIA
TEL:234 1 764432
PRIVATE EMAIL:adewilliamsuks@hotmail.com

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to send my greetings to you. I know this
letter will definitely come to you as a surprise
package .I am extending this proposal to you in my
capacity as chairman of the contract Review/Audit Committee scrutinizing
all record covering executed contract awarded by previous military
government of Nigeria. My colleagues and I have uncovered a floating
amount of USD$10,500,000.00 (TEN MILLION, FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.DOLLARS), without a clear
beneficiary owing to a deliberate act of over
invoicing and inflating of contract value by some
government officials This money (USD$10.5M), has
already been approved for payment by the ministry of
Mines, Power and Steel and is secured under Contract
No:MMP/FGN/V1233/ALSCON-29, Job Completion Certificate No:
677000000242MMPS/C of 17th oct.2001.

As top civil servants, we are not authorized to operate
foreign bank account and this is why we want to use
your bank account to transfer this money outside
Nigeria. We have accepted you as our foreign partner and will
now regularize the approvals to you as the trust
beneficiary of the contract sum. As soon as we receive
your acceptance, we shall inform you of the necessary
requirements from you to facilitate the transfer. Let us use this
opportunity and export the benefit of this sum. We have resolved to give
you 20% of the total sum as compensation for your
assistance, 70% is for me and my partners here in Nigeria, 10% is set
aside to cover every expenses made in the course of the transaction. To
be enclosed in your reply are the following:

1. Your Company Name, Address, Phone and Fax Numbers
2. Your Bankers Name, Address, Phone and Fax Numbers,
3. Account Number and Beneficiary;

4. Your private phone and fax numbers for easy communication; Contact me
immediate you receive this letter through my Direct Fax Number written
above so that I can reach you with detailed information on the next line
of action. We are looking forward to your favorable response.
Yours faithfully,
Ade Williams


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