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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: "MALLAM SULE ALI" <malsule@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: malsule@fsmail.net
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 02:51:26 +0000
Subject: Direct to you, Reply me immediately please

FROM THE DESK OF:
MALAM SULE DIK
LAGOS, NIGERIA.

ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,

TRANSFER OF US$25,500,000.00 (TWENTY FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) CONTRACT DEBT.

I AM EXTENDING THIS PROPOSAL TO YOU IN MY CAPACITY AS AN ACCOUNTANT AND
CHIEF OF THE REVIEW / AUDIT COMMITTEE SCRUTINISING ALL RECORDS COVERING
EXECUTED CONTRACTS AWAREDED BY PAST MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. MY
COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE DISCOVERED A FLOATING AMOUNT OF (US$25.5M) WITHOUT A
CLEAR
BENEFICIARY, OWING TO A DELIBERATE ACT OF OVER-INVOICING AND ILLEGAL
INFLATION OF CONTRACT VALUE BY CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.THIS MONEY HAVE
ALREADY BEEN APPROVED FOR PAYMENT BY NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
(NNPC) AND IT
IS SECURED UNDER CONTRACT N0. FGN/NNPC/029961/CB/2000.

AS TOP CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT AUTHORISED TO OPERATE FOREIGN BANK
ACCOUNTS 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
REGULARISE THE APPROVALS TO REFLECT YOU AS THE TRUE BENEFICIARY UNDER THE
CONTRACT.

WE HAVE SET IN MOTION THE MACHINERY FOR THE TAKE-OFF OF THIS TRANSACTION AND
FURTHER ACTION WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY WE HEAR FROM YOU. WE AGREED THAT
AFTER THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
30%, THE OFFICIALS INVOLVED SHALL TAKE 70%, THE NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS IS
NOT PARTICULARLY RELEVANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. ALL WE
REQUEST IS YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CO-OPERATE. ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS HAVE
BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE A NON-RISK SITUATION ON THE SIDE OF BOTH PARTIES.

PLEASE NOTE: THAT THIS DEAL CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

1 YOU WILL PROVIDE THE NAME OF YOUR BANK
2 YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBERS/ACCOUNT NAME WHERE THIS MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED
INTO,
THESE BANKING INFORMATIONS WILL ENABLE US SUBMIT APPLICATION OF CLAIMS FOR
THE RELEASE OF THIS FUND FROM THE CONCERNED DEPARTMENTS.
3 THE TRANSACTION SHOULD BE TREATED WITH UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY AND SECRECY
CONSIDERING THE CALIBRE OF PEOPLE INVLOVED.
4 ASSURANCE THAT OUR SHARE WILL BE GIVEN TO US WHEN THIS MONEY IS
TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
5 YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASIER COMMUNICATIONS,

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY YOU
RECEIVE THIS MAIL, FOR MORE INFORMATION. THIS TRANSACTION WILL TAKE AT LEAST
(7)
WORKING DAYS TO BE CONCLUDED WITH YOUR MAXIMUM CO-OPERATION.

PLEASE TREAT THIS WITH THE STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY IT DESERVES, AS I LOOK
FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

SINCERELY YOURS,
MALAM SULE DIKKO.


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