joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Usman M. Bello" <usman.bello5@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: usman.bello888@gawab.com
Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2006 15:53:54 +0000
Subject: URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FROM: USMAN M. BELLO.
CHAIRMAN: CONTRACT PAYMENT REVIEW PANEL
EMAIL: usman.bello888@gawab.com

Sir

REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP IN ESPECT OF THE
TRANSFER OF US$40,000,000.00 (FORTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY)

I am senator Usman Bello. I, on behalf of my other colleagues from different
Federal Government of Nigeria owned parastatals decided to solicit your
assistance as regards the transfer of the above stated amount into your bank
account.

This fund arose from the over-invoicing of various contracts awarded to
certain foreign contractors sometime ago during the military era. We as
holders of official positions in our various parastatals, were mandatedby
this new civilian government to scrutinize all payments made to certain
foreign contractors by the past military government, and we discovered that
some of the contracts they executed were grossly over-invoiced, either by
omission or commission.

Also, we discovered that the sum of $45,000,000.00 (Forty-Five million
American Dollars only) was lying in a suspense account, although the Foreign
contractors were fully paid their entitlements after executing the said
contracts. We all agreed that the over-invoiced amount be transferred (for
our own use)into a bank account provided by a foreign partner, as the code
of conduct of the Federal civil service does not allow us to operate foreign
accounts.

However, we have succeeded in transferring some of these monies,precisely
US$5.0M (five million American Dollars only) intoa foreign account in GENEVA
(SWITZERLAND) last week, but unfortunately the provider of the account has
severed all forms of contacts with us as he has refused to adhere to our
earlier mutual agreement insisting that the total amount be paid into his
nominated bank account before disbursement will take effect.

If for US$5.0Million (Five million only) we are not compensated, how can one
guarantee full compensation on remittance of the balance of US$40 million
(Forty million American dollars only). We are therefore seeking your
assistance based on the balance amount of US$40 Million,which can be
speedily processed and fully remitted into your nominated bank account.

On successful remittance of the fund into your account, you will be
compensated with 25% of the amount for assistance and services and 5% set
aside for expenses contingency while 70% is for me and my colleagues
Thistransaction is closely knitted and in view of our SENSITIVE POSITION we
cannot afford a slip, I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free.

We will avail you with our identities as regards our respective offices when
relationship is fully established and smooth operation commences.I am at
your disposition to entertain any question(s) from you in respect of this
transaction, so, contact me immediately through my e-mail for further
information on the requirements and procedure.

Please, note that this DEAL needs utmost confidentiality. YOU ARE ADVISED TO
SEND YOUR REPLY VIA this Email address usman.bello888@gawab.com


Waiting for your response.

Yours faithfully,

Usman M. Bello

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/


Anti-fraud resources: