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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: ndatom1000@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2006 18:15:56 -0500
Subject: Reply To Your Ad at the Transgender Personals

DEAR,

REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION. I AM A HIGH PLACED OFFICIAL WORKING WITH
THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, HERE IN AFRICA MY
DEPARTMENT(THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT) RUNS INTO SEVERAL
THOUSAND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MONTHLY. MYSELF AND THREE
OTHER COLLEAGUES IN THIS DEPARTMENT ARE CURRENTLY IN
NEEED OF A SILENT FOREIGN PARTNER WHOSE BANK ACCOUNT
WE CAN USE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF TWENTY FIVE MILLION
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.DOLLARS
(US$25,300,000.00). THIS FUND ACCRUED LEGITIMATELY
(BUT DISCRETELY) TO US AS COMMISSION FROM FOREIGN
CONTRACTS,THROUGHOUR PRIVATE CONNECTIONS.

THE FUND IS PRESENTLY IN A FOREIGN RESERVE ACCOUNT IN
A BANK IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR
POSITIONS AS CIVIL SERVANTS IN OUR COUNTRY, WE CANNOT
ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES. BECAUSE AS HIGH
PLACED CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE
CIVIL SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT TO OWN OR OPERATE BANK
ACCOUNTS OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTRY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS NOT SAFE FOR US TO KEEP THE
MONEY HERE DUE TO OUR UNSTABLE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.
I HAVE BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY
COLLEAGUES, TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS SILENT PARTNER IN
WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE US$25,300,000.00
FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT, HENCE THE REASON FOR THIS EMAIL.

WHAT I AM REQUESTING FROM YOU IS: (1) TO BE OUR
SILENT PARTNER AND RECEIVE THE FUNDS IN YOUR ACCOUNT
IN TRUST. (2) RECEIVE THE FUNDS IN YOUR ACCOUNT, TAKE
OUT YOUR COMMISSION AND KEEP THE REST OF THE MONEY
UNTIL I ARRIVE THERE TO MEET YOU AFTER THE TRANSFER IS

COMPLETED. OUR PROPOSAL IS THAT AFTER YOU RECEIVE THE
FUNDS, IT WOULD BE SHARED AS FOLLOWS: (1) 20% TO YOU
AS COMMISSION, WHILE THE REMAINING 80% BELONGS TO
MYSELF AND THE TWO COLLEAGUES HERE. YOU WILL BE
FREE TO TAKE OUT YOUR COMMISSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
FUNDS HIT YOUR ACCOUNT. SINCE OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO
INVEST THE MONEY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, IT WOULD BE
APPRECIATED IF YOU CAN ALSO HELP US TO INVEST
OUR OWN MONEY INTO PROFITABLE VENTURES IN YOUR
COUNTRY.

HOWEVER, THIS IS OPTIONAL, AND SHOULD IT NOT BE
CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO FURTHER ASSIST US WITH INVESTING
THE MONEY, WE CAN END OUR COOPERATION AFTER YOU HAND
OVER TO US OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY.

THE TRANSACTION, ALTHOUGH DISCRETE, IS LGITIMATE AND
THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH
DOCUMENTS SHOWING LEGITIMATE SOURCE/ORIGIN OF FUND.THE
TRANSFER WILL BE EFFECTED TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN
SEVEN(7) WORKING DAYS.AS SOON AS WE REACH AN AGREEMENT
AND YOU FURNISH ME WITH A SUITABLE BANK ACCOUNT FOR
RECEIVING THE MONEY.

I PLEAD WITH YOU ON ONE ISSUE, WHETHER YOU ARE
INTERESTED OR NOT, KINDLY DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
INFORMATION TO ANY ONE ELSE. I CONFIRM THAT THE
TRANSACTION IS LEGITIMATE AND WITHOUT ANY RISKS EITHER
TO OURSELVES OR YOURSELF.

PLEASE, GIVE ME YOUR RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY BY RETURN
MAIL TO ndatom123_tom@yahoo.com WHILE KEEPING
EVERYTHING CONFIDENTIAL.

YOURS FAITHFULLY

DR. NDAUBO TOM


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