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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: "Engr. Chris Okeke" <engrchrisokeke@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: engrkris@88.am
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 14:13:08 +0000
Subject: Good day to you

Engr.Chris Okeke.
(Engineering and Procurrement Department),
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,
Lagos-Nigeria.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am of the Engineering and Procurrement Department, Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation [NNPC] and a close associate of the immediate past
Minister of Petroleum Resources.The Minister has mandated me to transfer the
sum of US$88 millions recovered from over-invoiced contracts involving the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC] into several private accounts
in Europe and United States and Asia.
A total sum of US$68,000,000.00 has been transferred before the Emergence of
this present Civilian Administration,leaving the balance of
US$20,000,000.00.I have made proper arrangement/documentation to transfer
the balance which is retained in a coded account of the NNPC with the
Central Bank o f Nigeria. We are soliciting that you help us to receive the
fund in trust. We Cannot complete this transaction smoothly without the
participation of a foreign partner who would provide an account where the
funds could be lodged. Since it is a contract payment, the funds must be
remitted to a foreign account.The remittance of the funds requires little
documentation. There is no risk involved on your part in thistransaction
since the Former Minister and I have covered this transaction with adequate
contract and external credit documents from the beginning. What we require
from you by e-mail are,
{i} Acceptance letter of this offer
{ii)Your company name/Address and confidential
Telephone and fax numbers
{iii} Convincing Honesty, Trustworthiness and
Willingness to abide by the requirements of this proposal paramount of which
is CONFIDENTIALITY. We have agreed that you will retain 20% of t entire
US$20,000,00 0.00 for your effort in this transaction, 70% for us partners
here in Nigeria and the remaining 10% will be used for defrayal of
incidental cost in the course of this transfer. Please reply urgently by
e-mail as we expect that the transaction will not take more than ten working
days. And please note that this transaction must be top secret.

Best regards
Engr.Chris Okeke.
(Engineering and Procurrement NNPC)


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