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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. Ado Eddie" <adoeddie2000@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 18:19:01 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL


*Engr.Ado Eddie
Economic Recovery Committee.
Federal seretariat,
Abuja-Nigeria.

ATTN: SIR

BUSINESS PROPOSAL: TRANSFER OF US$22.5M (TWENTY TWO
MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) & BUSINESS INVESTMENTS
PARTNERSHIP.

First, I must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction, this is
by virtue of it's nature as being utterly confidential and top secret.
Please, if the nature of this business proposal does not meet or offends
your business ethics, I apologise in advance.

I am the chairman of the Economic Recovery Committe (ERC) set up by the
present civilian Government of Nigeria to review contracts awarded by the
past military administration.

In the course of our work at the ERC, we discovered this fund which resulted
from gross re-valuation of contracts by top government officials of the last
administration. The companies that executed the contracts have been duly
paid and the contracts
commissioned leaving the sum of US$22.5 Million floating in the escrow
account of the Central Bank of Nigeria ready for payment.

I have therefore been mandated as a matter of trust by my colleagues in the
committee to look for an overseas partner to whom we could transfer the sum
of
US$22.5M legally subcontracting the entitlement to you/your company. This is
bearing in mind that our civil service code of conduct forbids us from
owning foreign company or running foreign account while in government
service hence the need for an overseas partner.

We have agreed that the funds will be shared thus after it has been paid
into your account:
(1) 25% of the money will go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the
fund.
(2) 5% has been set aside as an abstract projection for reimbursment to both
parties for incidental expences that may be incurred in the course of the
transaction.
(3) 70% to us the government officials (with which we wish to commence an
importation business in conjunction with you ).

All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for the smooth
conclusion of the transaction within ten to fourteen days of commencement
after receipt of the following information: Your full name/company name,
address, company's details & activities, telephone & fax numbers.

These information will enable us make the applications and lodge claims to
the concerned ministries & agencies in favour of your company and it is
pertinent to state
here that this transaction is entirely based on trust as the solar bank
draft or certified cheque drawable in any of the Central Bank of Nigeria
correspondent bankers in America, Asia and Europe is going to be made in
your name.

Please acknowledge the receipt of this email through
**adoeddie@yahoo.com*<http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=adoeddie@yahoo.com>
*
I await your prompt and positive response to this business proposal.
Yours Faithfully,
Engr.Ado Eddie
*

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