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: "CHRISTOPHER TOBY" <christophertoby1967@terra.com.mx>
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 14:21:34 -0600
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED


DEAR TRUSTABLE FRIEND,

NATURALLY, THIS EMAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SUPRISE SINCE WE HAVE NOT MET,PERMIT ME HOWEVER, I AM CHRISTOPHER TOBY,I WORK AT THE ACCOUNT INFORMATION AT THE UNIONBANK NIGERIA PLC

I AM CONTACTING YOU TO KINDLY ASSIST ME IN THE PROJECT WHICH WILL BE FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT TO US BOTH:
IN MY DEPARTMENT, I DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF USD25MILLION(TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN A DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED IN AN OIL RIG IN THE OIL RICH NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA.hE WAS AN OIL CONTRACTOR WITH THE NGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION.AND HE DIED WHILE ON OFFICIAL ASIGNMENT.

SINCE I GOT THE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, I HAVE EXPECTED HIS NEXT- OF- KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM THE MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY I LEARNT THAT THIS MAN IN QUESTION HAD NO WIFE NOR KIDS. hE WAS A LONER AND DIED WITHOUT A HEIR.

IT IS UPON THIS DISCOVERY THEREFORE THAT I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASED FOR SAFE-KEEPING AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT WITH YOU SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DO NOT WANT THIS MONEY TO BE RECYCLED INTO THE BANK'S BOUNDED ACCOUNT AS AN UNCLAIMED FUND.

THE REQUEST FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIA CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I HAVE AGREED THAT 25% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR THE DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE AGREED PERCENTAGES. PERSONALLY, I WOULD WANT YOU TO ADVISE ME ON THE BEST AREA OF INVESTMENT BECAUSE I AM CONSIDERING TO INVEST THE GREATER PROPORTION OF MY SHARE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, DO CONTACT ME AT ONCE THROUGH MY E-MAIL, AT ONCE OR BETTER STILL YOU CALL ME ON MY ABOVE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR MORE CLARIFICATION. +++234-8038947466 AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE YOU TO INDICATE YOUR PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE, FAX,CELLULAR AND E-MAIL FOR THE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION REQUIRED.

BE INFORMED THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS TOWARDS THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THE FUND HAS BEEN CONCLUDED,ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR COMMITMENT AND COOPERATION SO THAT I CAN PERFECT THE PROCEDURAL REQUIRMENTS OF THE BANK.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
CHRISTOPHER TOBY
++234-8038947466

Anti-fraud resources: