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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: "roseline1976" <roseline1976@terra.com.mx>
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 11:18:50 -0600
Subject: Assistance



DEAR SIR,
WE WRITE THIS LETTER WHICH
I PRAY SHOULD BE URGENTLY
REPLIED.
I GOT YOUR
CONTACT DURING MY YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE
FOREIGN
MINISTRY.
I MOHAMMED ENAGUA, PRESENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IN THE FEDERAL
MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING
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 ACCOUNT OVERSEAS HENCE A FOREIGNER
IS NEEDED.
I PRESENTLY HAVE AN OVER INVOLCED
CONTRACT PAYMENT OF
USD38.5M(THIRTY-EIGHT FIVE HUNDREDTHOUSAND
US
DOLLAR) WHICH HAS REMAIN UNCLAIMED SINCE
1997.MY
SUPERIOR IN THE PRESENDENCY HAVE MANDATED ME
TO
PRESENT A HONEST FOREIGNER WHO CAN
CONVENIENTLY PROJECT
THIS FUND FOR US IN HIS BANK
ACCOUNT IN HIS COUNTRY. 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-OPORATION.
MY SUPERIORS HAS COMPLETED ALL
ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS
TO SEE THAT THIS FUND RECEIVES ALL THE
REQUEST
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 BE! TWEEN US.
I SHALL SEND
YOU BY FAX DETAIL OF THE CONTRACT
EXECUTED SOON AFTER I RECEIVE
YOUR MESSAGE.
YOU
WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THE TOTAL
FUND
IMMEDIATELY WE ARRIVE YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING.
10%
WILL COVER ALL MISCALLANEOUS EXPENSES WE SHALL DO
BOTH
HERE AND IN YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO REACH
ME FOR MORE
DETAILS.
DO NOT HESITATE TO SEND ME
A MESSAGE AND CALL AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE.
I SINCERELY COUNT ON YOUR ASSISTANCE.

REMEMBER IAM
HIGHLY PLACED OFFICIAL AND EXPECT ABSOLUTE
DISCRETION
FROM YOU IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR HONOUR
FROM FOREIGN JOURNALIST WHO
SEEK TO DESTROY MEMBERS
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,
MR
MOHAMMED ENAGUA.

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