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: "vusi williams" <vusi_williams@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:49:05 +0000
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION

FROM: MR. VUSI WILLIAMS
TELE: 0027-73-449-5446
EMAIL: vusi_williams8@hotmail.com

Dear Sir,

1. I most apologize for this unsolicited proposal but I want you to
consider it as a request with the best of intentions. I am Mr. Vusi
Williams, Director Project implementation with Eskom South Africa and a
member of the Contract Tenders Board (CTB) of the above corporation.

Your esteemed address was reliably introduced to me at the South Africa
Chamber of Commerce and Industry in my search for a reliable individual /
company who can handle a strictly confidential transaction, which involves
the transfer of a reasonable sum of money to a foreign account. This amount
of money is total sum of US$22,000,000.00 (Twenty-two Million United States
Dollars), already extracted from various contracts awarded by my
corporation.

2. As a result of over-invoicing masterminded by the concerned
officials, who have been drafted to represent final payment for a contract
that has been executed to the corporation some years back.The money is now
floating in the suspense account of Federal Reserve Bank of South Africa
awaiting claim by Foreign Partner which status we now want you to assume.Now
is the optimum period to consummate this transaction. Following the
presidential directive to pay all contractors personal / company? foreign
account.

In my last meeting with the officials involved, it was unanimously agreed
that 25% of the total sum will be given to you. 70% will be for my
colleague, and me. While 5% will be used to reimburse the expenses that may
be incurred in the process of the transfer.

I assure you the transaction is 100% risk free as we have concluded every
arrangement to protect the interest of every one involved. Likewise, all
modalities for the successful transfer of this money have been worked out
with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Reserve Bank of South
Africa to facilitate the remittance of this money to your designated
account.

3. However, I would want to believe that you are honest enough and
will not raise any misgiving attitude in any aspect of the transaction, more
importantly; you will keep this transaction very confidential, so as not to
tarnish the confidence reposed on this official by the Government of
South Africa. If this business proposal is interest to you, then kindly
contacts me via my direct telephone number: 0027-73-449-5446 or email {
vusi_williams8@yahoo.com }. Mean while your
immediate response will be highly appreciated.

4. Please treat this information as confidential.

Best regards,

Mr. Vusi Williams.



Anti-fraud resources: