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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr John Odogu" <john@odogu.com>
Reply-To: mrodogu100@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 19:43:49 +0000
Subject: Mr. John Odogu.

Mr. John Odogu.
BRANCH MANAGER,
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
ILUPEJU BRANCH LAGOS
NIGERIA.

ATTN: PRESIDENT/C.E.O

I am pleased to get across to you for a very urgent and profitable
business proposal, though I don't know you neither have I seen you before
but my confidence was reposed on you when the Chief Executive of Lagos State
chamber of Commerce and Industry handed me your contact for a confidential
business. I am the manager of United Bank for Africa Plc
(UBA), Ilupeju branch, Lagos Nigeria. The intended business is thus; We had
a customer, a Foreign resident in Nigeria, he was a Contractor with one of
the Government Parastatals. He has in his Account in my branch the sum of US
15.5Million (fifteen million five hundred thousand united
states dollars only). Unfortunately, the man died three years ago until
today non-of his next of kin has come forward to claim the money. Having
noticed this, I in collaboration with two other top Officials of the bank
have covered up the account all this while. Now we want you (being a
foreigner) to be fronted as one of his next of kin and forward your account
and other relevant documents to be advised to you by us to attest to the
Claim.
We will use our positions to get all internal documentations to back up
the claims. The whole procedures will last only five working days to
get the fund retrieved successfully without trace even now or in future.
Your response is only what we are waiting for as we have arranged all
necessary things.

As soon as this message comes to you kindly get back to me indicating
your interest, then I will furnish you with the whole procedures to
ensure that the deal is successfully concluded. For your assistance we have
agreed to give you twenty five percent (25%) of the Total sum at the end of
the transaction while 65% would be for my colleagues and I and the remaining
10% would be for any form of expenses that may be incurred during the course
of the transaction which would be given to us when the money is transferred
into your account before splitting the balance on the agreed percentage of
65% to 25%. In order to get all the legal documents from the court, kindly
send the following information to us immediately. Your full name, telephone,
mobile and fax numbers as well as your resident or company address. I await
your earliest response.

Thanks,

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. John Odogu.


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