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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: "joel rapheal" <raphealjoel00@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: raphealajoel@katamail.com
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 08:36:43 +0000
Subject: Re: Invitation to a Rewarding Partnership

Mr Rapheala Joel
Pretoria 0001,
Republic of South Africa,
September 1, 2005.
Attn:
Re: Invitation to a Rewarding Partnership
Subject: Remittance of $15,600,000.00 American Dollars into your account.
It is my great pleasure to write you about this high rewarding business
transaction. I got your contact from network online and I hope that you will
be capable and reliable to handle this confidential mutually beneficial
business and that all confidential information will be handled with the same
strict professionalism that you expect from me.
I am a top official in the Presidency. With the cooperation of two other
officials, we have in our possession an over due payment in US funds.These
funds represent certain percentage of a contract value executed by a foreign
company, which was deliberately over invoiced to the tune of Fifteen
Million, Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$15,600,000.00).
The actual contract amount haven been paid to the contractor, it is the
excess balance of US$15.6M that we now intend to transfer immediately to
your designated company or personal account.
The South African government strongly believe that foreign direct
investments are the engines to sustainable economic development, to that
extent,government have continued to encourage foreign investments by
promptly paying all debts owed foreign contractors. These have provided
foreign investors new or expanded investment in South Africa with rich
rewards and wealth of opportunities- the rewards certainly exceed the risk
by unimaginable high margins. With the cooperation of some top officials at
the Department of Finance and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), we will
include the excess balance bill for approval and immediate transfer to your
account without any hitch.
We are therefore seeking your MORAL and FINANCIAL cooperation to be the
beneficiary of the excess amount because the law forbids serving government
officials from owning or operating foreign accounts. I have the authority of
my colleagues to propose 25% compensation to you, 75% compensation to us.
You must assure us of total confidentiality. The transaction is 100% SAFE,
RISK-FREE AND LEGAL and we strongly insist on a 100% utmost confidentiality
as we are still in active government services. I have reposed my confidence
in you trusting that you will not betray us.
It is on this premise that we look forward to your positive response and be
rest assured of 100% Legal and mutually beneficial rewarding business
relationship,Thanking you in anticipation of your positive respond.

Yours truly,
Mr Rapheala Joel


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