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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: "Musa Itopa" <musa_itopa@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2005 11:06:35 +0000
Subject: Acknowledge Message

Musa Itopa
Estate Agent and Property
Management,
48c Allen Road Ikeja
Lagos State Nigeria.
Itopa_5@myway.com


My name is Musa Itopa. I am pleased to get across to you for a very
profitable business proposal; this may come to you as a Surprise as we have
not met before. But I can trust a person of your caliber.

The intended business is thus, I am the Personal Account Manager to Mr. Don.
C. Chaves a Foreigner resident here in Nigeria, he was a Contractor with the
government parastatals. On the 21st of December 2004, my client, his wife
and their entire family were involved in a car accident along Lagos/Epe
Express Road. Unfortunately they all lost their lives in the event of the
accident, since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my
clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these
several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the
Internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence I
contacted you.

I have to be sincere and honest with you, I contacted you to assist in
repatriating the money and property left behind by my late client before
they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by Universal Trust Bank Plc
where this huge deposit were lodged. Particularly, the Universal Trust Bank
Plc where the deceased had an account valued at about (USD 12.5million
dollars).

Consequently, The Universal Trust Bank Plc issued me a notice to provide the
next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next 21 official
working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for
over 3 years now, please I seek your consent to present you as the next of
kin of the deceased since you have the same surname, so that the proceeds of
this account valued at (USD12.5 million dollars) can be paid to you and then
you and I can share the money.60% to me and 40% to you.

I know that you may not relate to my late client but I contact you on this
transaction based on the fact that you can stand as the next of kin to my
late client, it will be very easy to convince the bank since I have the
necessary documents to backup the claim. I have all necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require
is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through. I
guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.

As soon as you agree to co-operate with me, I will meet with the officials
of our Universal Trust Bank Plc and present your information as the next of
kin to my late client together with some relevant documents, they will just
go ahead and pay the money into your account and I will come over to your
country for the sharing of the fund.

Please get back to me through my email address (itopa_5@myway.com) to enable
us discuss further.

Yours faithfully,
Musa Itopa.



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