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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: george ikoli <kantexconsult@virgilio.it>
Reply-To: gikoli63@myway.com
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:11:24 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: From George Ikoli

Ben Nwazojie Associate
Solicitors & Advocate/Business Consultant
Plot
247, Adeola Hopewell Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Compliment of the Season's!

I humbly wish to seek your assistance,
utmost trust and confidence. Kindly accept my apology for contacting
you this way and forgive me if this is not acceptable to you. I am
George Ikoli, a business consultant and close associate to the wife of
a late former top government official in Nigeria who wishes to move out
the sum of US$14.5 million for investment in a viable sector oversea.

For obvious reasons, my client does not wish to place this fund with
established financial institution in the family's name for security
reason. It is her desire that this deal be handled as quietly as
possible without possibility of any leakage to the public or Government
as a result of the circumstances that lead to the death of her husband
who was a powerful politician in the Country.

She has therefore
empowered and instructed me to look for a reliable foreigner who can
arrange and receive this money on behalf of the family and assist in
invest part of the fund properly for the family hence, I am writing you
this letter.

If you agree to receive this fund on behalf of my client
and her family and to help manage part of the fund, I shall arrange for
the release of this sum ofUS$14.5 Million to you if you meet my
requirement and upon a favourable response from you. I shall let you
know how you will receive it. Your commission shall be down payment of
5% of the total sum. And annual 5% of the after tax returns on
investment you are to manage for the first five years. Thereafter, the
terms shall be varied.

If you are capable and willing to participate
in this transaction, reach me by e-mail for further briefings and also
enclosed your phone number.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best
regards.

George Ikoli.

--

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