joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "jossy phat" <jossy_phat@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: jossy_phat@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:12:50 +0000
Subject: YOUR ABLE ASSISTANCE

From: The Desk Of Mr.Josephat Madu
Auditing And Accounting Unit.
Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
16 Marina,Lagos, Nigeria.

GREETINGS,

Compliments of the day and how is life generally with you? Of course it is my humble wish to solicit and crave your indulgence to make this project request for a joint business transaction which I hope will not come to you as a surprise, hence I plead for your pardon.


I am Mr.Josephat  Madu,in the Auditing and Accounting Unit,Foreign operations Department Union Bank Of Nig,PLC Marina Lagos and I have an urgent and confidential business proposal which you might be intrested in;

On April 14th,2001,Engr.Steve Moore made a(fixed)deposit of US$15.500.000.00(Fiften Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in my branch. On maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded address but got no reply after months we sent a reminder and finally i discovered from his contract employee Empire Construction Corporation (ECC)that Late Engr.Steve Moore died from an automobile accident. On further investigation it was clear that he died without making a will. All attempts by the Australian to trace his next of kin were fruitless.


I therefore made further inquireries and discovered that Late Engr.Steve Moore did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents including his deposit document in my bank. The total sum of US$15,5M is still in the bank as dormant acct. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian banking law, after five years,the money will revert into the account of the Nigerian Government.That is,If the account owner is certified death and nobody comes forward to claim it.


This is the situation,and my proposal is that I need a reliable someone,a foreigner who will stand in as the beneficiary/next of kin.Someone who will lay a trust worthy proof first, before any step in this transaction is taken.


The money will be shared in the ratio of 30% and 70% that is for you and i respectively.


There is no risk involved. I am using my position and connection in the bank here to do all the document work for the transaction. We shall employ the services of an attorney to obtain all necessary documents and letter of administration in your favour for the transfer.


This transaction is risk free guaranteed.
As you reply,give me your words that you will be nice to me because this will make a great change to our lives positively and can as well land me into a big trouble if a great care is not taking.


I await your urgent reply.

Best regards,

Mr.Josephat  Madu


Anti-fraud resources: