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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: "richard oguia" <richardoguia@gmail.com>
Reply-To: richardoguiaholdings@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:00:39 -0700
Subject: GOOD DAY


GREETINGS MY DEAR FRIEND,

FUNDS FOR INVESTMENTS.

THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I HAVE NO PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU.I AM THE CHAIRMAN TENDER BOARD OF THE
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC).I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN THE
COURSE OF MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE PERSON WITH WHOM TO HANDLE A VERY
CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF FUND VALUED AT
FIFTY.THREE
MILLION,UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$50.3M) TO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS, DRUGS OR MONEY
LAUNDERING. IT IS A PRODUCT OF OVER INVOICED CONTRACT AWARDED IN 2002 BY
INEC TO A FOREIGN COMPANY FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS THAT
WHERE USED FOR CONDUCTING JUST CONCLUDED 2004 ELECTIONS.THE CONTRACT HAS
LONG BEEN EXECUTED AND PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT MADE TO
THE FOREIGN CONTRACTOR; THEREBY LEAVING THE BALANCE OF US$50.3MILLION IN
A DORMANT ACCOUNT WHICH MY COLLEAGUE AND I NOW WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF
NIGERIA INTO A RELIABLE FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR OUR PERSONAL USE.

AS CIVIL SERVANTS WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FOREIGN ACCOUNT
MACHINERY TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION THEREFORE IT BECOMES
NECESSARY TO SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS
THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE CONTRACT.
MY DEAR FRIEND, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ENDORSED THE
RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE SENATE THAT ALL FOREIGN CONTRACTORS OWED BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA BE PAID, WE WILL SEIZE THIS GOOD
OPPORTUNITY TO SURPORT YOU AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES TO BE PAID.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL KINDLY GET BACK TO ME BY
SENDING A LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS.MEANWHILE, MY COLLEAGUE AND I HAVE DECIDED TO SHARE THE MONEY
IN THE FOLLOWING RATIO: 70% FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND I,THEN 20% FOR YOU THE
ACCOUNT OWNER.FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE DISCUSSED
IN THE SUBSEQUENT CORRESPONDENCE.THIS TRANSACTION IS STRICTLY
CONFIDENTIAL AND RISK FREE.

NOTE ALSO THAT THE NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS IS IRRELEVANT TO THIS
TRANSACTION AND THIS TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 15
WORKING DAYS SINCE ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN
PROPERLY PERFECTED FOR A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS
TRANSACTION.

The NECESSARY INFORMATION NEEDED,
1)Your FULL NAME OR COMPANY NAME.
2)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND FAX NUMBER.
3)YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION.
4)YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVING LIECENSE.
PRIVATE EMAIL(richardoguiaholdings@yahoo.com)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.
RICHARD OGUIA.

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