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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.Victor Zuma Themba <vtthemba@netscape.net>
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 16:59:19 +0200
Subject: (Urgent and Confidential)

Attention: The President/Ceo

The Holy Crescent Mosque,
Cape Town - South Africa.
Email : vtthemba@netscape.net

Assalamalaikum,
PERMISSION TO REMIT US $20.5 MILLION INTO
YOUR COMPANY OR PRIVATE ACCOUNT.

It is my pleasure to write and inform you of a transaction
involving the transfer of US $20.500, 000.00 (Twenty
Million and Five Hundred US Dollars only) into a foreign
account for safekeeping pending my arrival to your c
ountry for the sharing with you as the account owne
r into which the money would be remitted.

I am an accountant with the Ministry of Mining & Energy
(MME), South Africa, this money originated from an
over-invoiced contract executed for the corporation
some years back. A foreign firm has long completed
this contract and the contractor duly paid. I now seek
if you would permit the surplus to be remitted into your
account.

As a matter of fact, I am a top government official and
I cannot come out openly to claim this amount. This
is why I am looking for a competent and honest
company or individual abroad whose documents
will be tendered here in South Africa as one of the
contractors that executed the project. However, I
would wish to receive your personal assurance that
you would not sit on the money when it goes into you
r account. More importantly, you keep confidential this
transaction, in order not to tarnish the confidence
repose in the officials involved in this transaction.

To effect this transfer, I therefore request the following:
YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER, THE NAME OF YOUR
BANK WHERE THE MONEY WOULD BE
TRANSFERRED INTO AND ALSO YOUR PRIVATE
FAX AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR QUICK
COMMUNICATION.

So far, after due consultations, you were recommended
to me although we have not met or entered into any
kind of contract with you before as to know the
extent of your honesty, but based on the recommendation,
I personally want to believe that you are honest enough
and would not sit on the money if finally it gets into your
account. It is on this note that I consider it proper to
write you asking for your permission and support to
transfer this amount into your account. You should
not fear any risk because we have concluded arrangement
to safe guard you in the transaction. This business is 100%
risk free, hence it requires high level of confidentiality and
secrecy. Meanwhile, this is the breakdown of the sharing
modalities:
(A). 10% WILL BE USED TO SETTLE TRANSFER
CHARGES AND LEGAL PROTOCOLS.
(B). 30% IS FOR USING YOUR ACCOUNT.
(C). 60% OF IT WILL BE FOR US THE ORIGINATORS.

Be informed that on completion of this business I will use
part of my money to invest in your country under your care.
Please note that the transfer operation will take ten to
twelve working days to be completed. Contact me with
the above e-mail address as soon as possible.

Best regards,
Mr. Victor Zuma Themba.

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