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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: "Mr.Akilo Adams" <akilo_adams04@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: akiloadams2005@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2006 11:42:35 +0100
Subject: My Best Regards,

Attn: Please,

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP -STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Firstly, I must solicit your confidentiality. This is by virtue of it's
nature as being utterly "confidential" and "TOP SECRET". Though I know that
a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried,
but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. A bold
step taken shall not be regretted I assure you.

I am Mr. akilo David Adams and I head a seven man tender board in charge of
contract awards and payment approvals. I came to know of you in my search
for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential business
transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign
account requiring maximum confidence. My colleagues and I are top official
of Federal Government Contract Review and Award Panel. Our duties include
evaluation, vetting, and approval for payment of contract jobs done for the
Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA) etc. We are therefore soliciting for your
assistance to enable us transfer into your account the said funds. Our
country looses a lot of money everyday that is why the international
community is very careful and warning their citizens to be careful but I
tell you "a trial will convince you".

The source of the fund is as follow: During the last military regime here in
Nigeria,this committee awarded a contract of US$400 Million to a group of
five construction firms on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Aviation
(FMA)for the supply and installation of landing and navigational equipment
in Lagosand Port Harcourt International Airports. During this process my
colleagues and I decided among us to deliberately over inflate the total
contract sum of US$428 Million with the aim of sharing the remaining sum of
US$20.5 million.The government has since approved the sum of
US$420.5Million for us as the contract sum, but since the contract is only
worth US$400M the remaining US$20.5 Million is what we intend to transfer
to a reliable and safe offshore account,we are prohibited to operate foreign
account in our names since we are still in Government. Thus, making it
impossible for us to acquire the money in our name right now, I have
therefore been delegated as a matter of trust by my colleagues to look for
an oversea partner into whose account we can transfer the sum of
US$20.5Million.

My colleagues and I have decided that if you/your Company can as the
beneficiary of this funds on our behalf,you or your company will retain 20%
of the total amount (US$20.5Million) while 75% will be for us (officials)
and the remaining 5% will be used in offsetting all debts/expenses incurred
during this transfer.

We have decided that this transaction can only proceed under the following
condition(a) Our conviction of your transparent honesty and that you treat this
transaction with utmost secrecy and confidentiality (b) That upon Receipt of
the funds you will release the funds asinstructed by us after you've removed your share of 20%. Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter using the above e-mail address. (akiloadams2005@yahoo.fr)I will bring you into the complete of this
transaction when I've heard from you.

Your urgent response will be highly appreciated as we are already behind
schedule for the financial quarter. Please do be informed that his business
transaction is 100% legal and completely free from drug or money laundering.

Only trust can make the reality of this transaction.
Best regards,
Mr. akilo David Adams,

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