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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: "Prof.Charles Soludo" <pccs_banker99000@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: pccs_banker@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 2005 04:49:20 -0600
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (C.B.N)
PROF.CHARLES SOLUDO

I am Prof Charles Soludo, The Governor of central bank of Nigeria. I got
your contact from the net during my personal search, after thorough
deliberations, I decided to contact you for a very confidential business
transaction of mutual benefit. Following the on going settlement of the long
awaited foreign contract debt, during our verification exercise, we came
across an over-invoiced Contract (Contract No: FMA/PED/1473/96).

This contract was awarded in July, 1996 and completed in August, 1998, and
the original contractor has since been paid leaving the over-invoiced sum of
US$25.5m (Twenty Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
..This Amount has been left floating in the account with the federation
bank,
until my recent discovery. I have decided to seek for the assistance of a
reliable foreign partner into whose account the fund will be transferred
into for our own use. I wish to inform you that the payment is being
processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter.
Please confirm to me the followings details.

1) Your full name.
2) Phone, fax and mobile #.
3) Company name, position and address.
4) Profession, age and marital status.

As soon as this information are received, the payment will be made to you in
a certified bank draft from central bank of Nigeria and a copy will be given
to you for you to take to your bank and confirm it. You should respond as
soon as you receive this letter for a serious discussion.


Best Regards,
Prof. Charles Soludo
Governor Central bank of Nigeria


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Anti-fraud resources: