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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: "Hassan Adams" <hassan_adams12@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: hassan_adams12@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 04:30:37 +0000
Subject: From Hassan Adams(I await your response)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mr. Hassan Adams the contracts verification manager of Nigeria National
Petroleum corporation (NNPC), Because of my position and that of other
strategic officials who are heads in their Departments, we have in our
possession, since 2002 the sum of US$60M Dollars (sixty million United
States Dollars) which we emassed through over-invoicing of foreign contracts
fully executed and commissioned with the different foreign contractors duly
paid their full contract amounts.

We have made several fruitless moves to transfer this fund abroad for our
mutual benefits. One in 2003 when one Mr. Patrice Miller of the United
States of America, living at No 10, West 54th Street, New York, ran away
with our US$6M Dollars after the fund has been transferred into his account.
It was unbelievable, shocking and hypertensive that when we went there to
claim our share of the fund, we were told that nobody with that name was
living in that house and that the former occupant of the flat moved away few
weeks ago to an unknown house. This is how we lost US$6M Dollars to the
heartless Patrice Miller.

The second attempt was when in June 2004, we decided to carry US$5M dollars
in cash through the Lagos international Airport but was stopped by the
Nigerian Custom Officers who seized the fund till date. This is how we lost
another US$5M Dollars to the Nigerian Custom.

Following the peaceful life ushered in by the current democratic
dispensation in Nigeria, I and my colleagues have decided to transfer the
sum of US$15,600,000.00(Fifteen Million, Six hundred Thousand U.S. dollars
only) into a foreign account operated by a foreigner for our mutual
benefits. By this letter, I request your assistance in transferring and
safeguarding the sum of US$15.6M Dollars for our mutual benefits. For
assisting us in transferring and safeguarding this fund, you will be
entitled to 20% of the total sum 2% be set aside for charity and
philanthropic purposes 75% belongs to me and my colleagues while 3% will go
for reimbursement of all expenses made by both parties.

However, I want you to be human and humane so that you do not become this
second Patrice Miller of the United States. It is imperative for you to note
that this transaction is safe as my colleagues in the relevant ministries
have perfected all modalities for the successful transfer of this fund.

However, we should see absolute confidentiality as our watchword throughout
the course of this transaction for we are civil servants and will equally
not like the 2003 event to occur again. I will be grateful if you can
furnish me with your private telephone, fax and mobile numbers and name of
beneficiary with the telex numbers of the receiving bank. These will enable
us speed up the claim of the fund and eventual transfer into your nominated
account.

Looking forward to hear from you soonest.

Mr. Hassan Adams


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