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: "ahmed amanda" <ahmed_amanda@mailqatar.com>
Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:06:37 +0300
Subject: HONESTY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS

ATTN:SIR
MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND, PERMIT ME TO INTRODUCE MY SELF. I AM ENGR AHMED AMANDA ONE OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION [NNPC]. IT IS TRUE WE HAVE NOT MET BEFORE BUT I GOT YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS THROUGH A RELIABLE SOURCE WHO ASSURED ME OFYOUR SINCERE HONESTY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS, THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU WITH A BUSINESS PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE OF MUTUAL BENEFIT TO ALL OF US.IN 1998, MY CORPORATION [NNPC], AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR A CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF OIL STORAGE TANKS AND OTHER HIGH-TECH PETROLEUM REFINING EQUIPMENTS AT THREE OF THE NIGERIAN REFINERIES AT PORTHARCOURT,WARRI AND KADUNA. THE VALUE OF THE CONTACT WAS $250 MILLION.
HOW EVER MYSELF AND SOME TOP OFFICIALS OF THE NNPC USED OUR POSTION TO INFLAT THIS CONTRACT TO THE TUNE OF $320 MILLION, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT WAS THE TIME OF THE MILITARY REGIME, BEFORE THE CURRENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT CAME INTO POWER IN THE YEAR 1999.THIS CONTRACT WAS APPROVED AND THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS HAS SUCCESFULLY EXECUTED THE CONTRACT AND HAS RECIEVED THE DUE CONTRACT SUM OF $250 MILLION UNDER
CONTRACT NUMBER NNPC/PED/018/KDREF/98, LEAVING OUT THE OVER INFLATED SURPLUS OF $72 MILLION, WHICH IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT WE MAY PRESENT FOR THE PURPOSE.
SIR,YOU MAY WONDER WHY WE COULD NOT OPEN A FOREIGN ACCOUNT OURSELVES, THE REASON IS BECAUSE IT IS AGAINST THE WORKING ETHICS, REGULATIONS AND LAW OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA FOR ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHOM IS STILL SERVING, TO OPEN AND OPERATE OFFSHORE FOREIGN ACCOUNT. THAT IS NOT ANY EXPENSES AND YOU ARE NOT THE ONE THAT I HAVE FINANCIAL COMPANY, I HAVE ALREADY DISCUSS WITH THEM AND THEY ARE READY TO PAY THE WHOLE BILLS ALL WE NEED IS FOR YOU TO GAVE US YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND YOUR FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION THAT AS SOON AS YOU REPLIED ME AND SEND THE ACCOUNT. I WILL FORWARD YOUR ACCOUNT FOR PAYMENT.
PLEASE ALSO YOU WILL SEND A NAME THAT I WILL USE AND OPEN A COMPANY FOR THE CONTRACT THIS IS WHY I NEEDED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE US WITH A GOOD COMPANY OR PRIVATE ACCOUNT WHERE THE FUND WILL BE REMITTED INTO BEFORE WE SHARE. FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER WE HAVE AGREED 30% 10% FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES/LOGISTICS. AND 60% FOR OURSELVES.FURTHER MORE, YOU SHALL ASSIST US TO INVEST PART OF OWN SHARE OF THE MONEY INTO LUCRATIVE BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND IN VIABLE COMPANIES WITH GOOD SHARES FOR PERIOD OF TIME AS THIS WILL BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY UNTIL WE RETIRE IN 5 YEARS TIME.DEAR, SHOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN THIS BUSINESS VENTURE,
THEN KINDLY CONTACT ME THROUGH MY Email ahmed_amanda01@yahoo.com SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.WE ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE, AS WE HAVE DONE OUR HOMEWORK VERY WELL TO ENSURE THAT THE NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE WELL PROCESSED FOR THE REMITTANCE OF THIS FUND INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT REPLY TO THIS LETTER. PLEASE SEND YOUR REPLY IN THIS
ahmed_amanda01@yahoo.com
BEST REGARDS
ENGR AHMED AMANDA
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
YOUR CORPORATION
HONESTY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS


Anti-fraud resources: