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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: "adeinn1\@latinmail\.com" <adeinn3@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 01:38:02 -0600
Subject: DEAR FRIEND!!!


PLEASE REPLY TO THIS BOX.
adeinn1@latinmail.com
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

LAGOS-NIGERIA.

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

WE WRITE THIS LETTER WHICH I PRAY SHOULD BE URGENTLY
REPLIED.

I DR ADE INNOCENT, PRESENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE
FINANCE IN THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
HEADQUARTERS, LAGOS NIGERIA

I AM IN NEED OF YOUR GENUINE ASSISTANT AND TRUST
BECAUSE AS A TOP OFFICIAL OF THE RULING GORVERNMENT, I
WANT TO SAFE GAURD MY INTEREST IN YOUR COUNTRY BEFORE
THE END OF THE TENURE OF THIS ADMINITRATION.
MORE ALSO WE AS CIVIL SERVANT ARE FORBIDDEN TO OWN
OR OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT, HENCE A FOREIGNER IS NEEDED IN THIS .
TRANSACTION.

I PRESENTLY HAVE AN OVER INVOLCED CONTRACT PAYMENT OFUSD38.5M(THIRTY-EIGHT MILLION,
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLAR) WHICH HAS REMAIN UNCLAIMED SINCE 1997,
MY SUPERIOR IN THIS PRESENDENCY HAVE MANDATED ME TO PRESENT A HONEST FOREIGNER WHO CAN
CONVENIENTLY PROTECT THIS FUND FOR US IN HIS COUNTRY'S BANK
ACCOUNT.

I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO US. THIS
IS WHY I AM CONTACTING YOU AND ALSO REQUESTING FOR YOUR
DISCRETION, MATURITY AND CO-OPERATION.


MY SUPERIOR HAS COMPLETED ALL ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS
TO SEE THAT THIS FUND RECEIVES ALL THE REQUESTED
APPROVALS IMMEDIATELY YOU GIVE ME THE GO AHEAD.

ALL I NEED FROM YOU ARE THE FOLLOWING:

(1) BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER.

(2) NAME AND FULL ADDRESS OF YOUR NORMINATED BANK WITH
TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS.

(3) YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US.

I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT
EXECUTED SOON AFTER I RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL REPLY FIRST.
YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THE TOTAL FUND IMMEDIATELY WE
ARRIVE YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING.10% WILL COVER ALL MISCALLANEOUS
EXPENSES WE MAY INCUR BOTH HERE AND IN YOUR COUNTRY.
PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO REACH ME FOR MORE DETAILS. DO NOT HESITATE TO
SEND ME AN EMAIL OR A FAX MESSAGE AND CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I SINCERELY COUNT ON YOUR ASSISTANCE, REMEMBER I AM A HIGHLY PLACED
OFFICIAL AND EXPECT ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY FROM YOU IN ORDER TO
PROTECT OUR PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND HONOUR FROM FOREIGN JOURNALIST WHO
SEEK TO DESTROY MEMBER OF OUR RULING CIVILIAN GORVERNMENT.


THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH-FREE, SO YOU NEED NOT
ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AT ALL.


I EXPECT YOUR REPLY IMMEDIATELY.
BEST REGARDS,

DR. ADE INNOCENT.


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