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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: "Micheal Miller" <graceobayi@graceobayi.net>
Reply-To: micheal_millerbyk@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 18:06:16 +0000
Subject: RE-INVESTMENT PROPOSAL.{NO-UP-FRONT PAYMENT}

Dear Friend,

This E-mail would probably be a pleasant surprise to you since it is unsolicited. My name is Dr Micheal Miller an  Executive Director at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Nigeria and the Chairman of Verification and Payment Committee of the Ministry ,I am soliciting for your unalloyed co-operation and participation in a business venture that is RISK FREE,COST FREE ON YOUR PART and PROFITABLE too.

Our Committee was constituted early this year to authenticate,approve and pay all foreign/local contractors/contracts; and the tenure of this committee will end in December 2006. Our committee discovered during the course of our reconciliation of our various bank accounts recently that the former Executive Director in charge of Finance and accounts along with the erstwhile chief Accountant had secretly placed the sum of US$18,500,000.00{EIGHTEEN MILLION, FIVE HINDRED HOUSAND U.S DOLLARS} in a suspense account with the sole intention of transferring same into their affiliates bank account abroad but, they were unlucky as they were retired unceremoniously due to political horse-trading{reasons}. All my Committee members along with other government officials have worked out an arrangement to transfer the above referenced sum to a foreign corporate,business account/personal account belonging to you or your company for our collective use/investment.

The transfer of this US$18.5 million abroad will entails the payment of several fees, levies, duties and charges to several Government offices, departments and banks in Nigeria etc, amounting to several thousands of U.S Dollars,but we have sourced a financier who has elected to pay all these charges and fees on our behalf,at a fee/commission ,payable by us only after the succeessful completion of this business.Our real problems have been solved.
Your duties in this business are clearly spelt out, thus:-

1.To oblige us the services (usage) of your business/personal bank account for this exercise,while you are entitled to receive the sum of US$5,550,000 being 30% as your due compensation/commission for your participation in this business.You will be required to call me always on phone .

2.If for whatever reasons we are unable to collect the amount provided by the financier as loan since we are civil servants ,we will immediately authorize the financier to pay same into your account.Thereafter, it is incumbent on you to return same to us here to pay off the charges,fees and meeting other over-cost,before the transfer of the principal sum of US$18.5million can be effected telegraphically into your account.

3.To help us manage our share of this money for a while, and to help us invest part of it in your company or into any other viable project in your country.You will probably not understand the whole details of this business by this first mail; but it suffices to say here, that upon your positive response, I will oblige you fuller details of the way forward. This offer is highly profitable, NO PAYMENT OF ANY UP-FRONT FEE either hidden or open,as we will not ask nor solicit for any financial contribution from you,throughout the duration of this business.

I am waiting with bated breath for your positive response, as it is said that the taste of the pudding is in the eating. In your response furnish me with the following:- Your full names,Company's name and street address,office,home,cell {mobile} and fax numbers as I intend to call and speak with you personally now.

Thanking your understanding.

Micheal Miller

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