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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN MARTINS" <john_martins_004@msn.com>
Reply-To: john_martins_004@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 17:20:31 +0000
Subject: GOODDAY

Dr JOHN MRTINS
SIR
REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

WE ARE MAKING THIS CONTACT WITH YOU AFTER
SATISFACTORY INFORMATION WE GATHERED FROM THE FOREIGN
TRADE OFFICE NIGERIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTR
HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMPANY’S PROFILE.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PROJECT CONSULTING ANDCONTRACT
AWARDING COMMITTEE OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION (NNPC). WE ARE AS CONVINCED AS TO BELIVE
THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE US WITH A SOLUTION TO EFFECT A REMITTANCE
OF FUND RESULTIN FROM OVER INVOICING OF JOB/ SERVICES DONE TO
THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION BY A
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR, CONTRACT NO:NPC/PED/AJO/1088/2000. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN
FULLY EXECUTED AND COMMISSIONED.
THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA HAS DUE TO THE
BILATERAL AGREEMENT REACHED WITH THE WORLD BANK AND
IMF, DIRECTED THAT ALL DEBTS OWENED BY FOREIGN
CONTRACTORS BE PAID. WE ARE THEREFORE DESIROUS OF
TRANSFERRING THE OVE INVOICE SUM OF FOURTY MILLION US
DOLLAR (40,000,000,00) ONLY INTO YOUR COMPANY’S OR PRIVATE
ACCOUNT. NOTE, AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT PERMITTED
TO OWN FOREIGN ACCOUNT BY NIGERIAN CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
THEREFORE, INORDER TO FACILITATE THE TRASFER OF THIS
FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU ARE URGED. TO REPLY
THROUGH THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR CONFIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND FOR THE URGENT NATURE OF THIS TRANSACTION.
THE FOLLOWING ARE REQURED FROM YOU.
(1) YOUR COMPANY’S NAME AND ADDRESS
(2) YOUR PERSONAL OR COMPANY’S BANK NAME, ADDRESS
ACCOUNT NUMBER AND TELEX NO.
(3) YOUR PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER
THE FUND WILL BE SHARED AS FOLLOWS 30% OF THE TOTAL
VALUE SHOULD GO TO YOU AS THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT,
WHILE 60% SHALL BE RELEASES TO US WHEN WE ARRIVE YOUR
COUNTRY AFTER THE TRANSFER, THEN 10% WILL BE FOR
EXPENSES INCURRED BY BOTH PARTIES IN THE COURSE OF THE
TRANSFER INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. ON RECEIPT OF YOUR PAPERS,
WE WILL TENDER AN APPLICATION FOR PAYMENT AT THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
AND ITS AFFILIATE MINISTRIES.
FINALLY, THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST CONFERED ON YOU
CANNOT BE OVER EMPHASISED; THEREFORE YOU ARE TO KEEP
THIS TRANSACTION TO YOURSELF AND FOR CONFIDENTIAL
REASONS I WILL BE EXPECTING YOUR CALL AS SOON AS YOU
RECEIVE THIS LETTER FOR FURTHER EXPLANATIONS.
THANKS FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED ASSISTANCE.
BEST REGARD.
Dr JOHN MARTINS
CHAIRMAN CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE (NNPC)


Anti-fraud resources: