joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "huge sum of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "transfer into your account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • hassma22@latinmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: mat hassan <okpanku1818@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:37:14 +0000
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP


PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE COMMITTEE NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) PETROLEUM AND PROJECT DIVISION (CONTRACT REVIEW, AWARD AND PAYMENT) LAGOS - NIGERIA Dear, This letter is not intended to cause any embarrassment in whatever form, rather is compelled to contact your Esteemed self, hoping that you are a high reputable and Trustworthy person. Firstly, I must solicit your Confidentially, this is by the virtue of its nature as Utterly confidential and top secret though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make Anyone apprehensive and worried, but We are contacting you because you have the same name or a similar name with the original contractor and I am assuring you,it must be well at the end of the day. A bold Step taken shall not be regretted I assure you. I am MR MAT HASSAN and I head a five-man task force in Charge of contract review, award and payment Approvals, I got your address through the Internet in Search of a reliable and reputable person to handle This transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge Sum of money into a foreign designated bank account. My colleagues and I are top officials of the NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC). OUR DUTIES INCLUDE VETTING, EVALUATION AND FORESSING THE MAINTANANCE OF THE REFINERIES IN ALL THE DESIGNATED OIL PIPELINES AND SOME ARE TOP DIRECTORS FROM FEDRAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND MINISTRY OF WORKS. We are therefore soliciting for your Assistance to enable us transfer into your account the Said funds out of this country. The source of the fund is as follows; during the Last military regime here in Nigeria this committee Awarded a contract of US$400million to a foreign contractor on behalf of the NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION for the construction of The oil pipelines in Kaduna, Port- Harcourt, Warri Refineries, during the process my colleagues and I Deliberately inflated the total contract sum to the Tune US$428million with the intention of sharing the Inflated sum of US$28.The government has since Approved the sum of US$428 for us as the contract sum,But since the contract is only worth US$400million,The remaining US$28million is what we are trying to Transfer into a reliable and safe offshore account but we counld not because we are Prohibited to operate foreign account in our names Since we are still in government. Thus, making it Impossible for us to acquire the money in our name Right now, I have therefore been delegated as a matter Of trust by my colleagues to look for an oversea Partner with a similar name with the original contractor whose account we can transfer the sum of US$28million.My colleagues and I have decided that if You can be the beneficiary of these funds On our behalf as someone who have a similar name with the original contractor, you will retain 20% of The total sum of US$28million while 75% will be for us The officials and remaining 5% will be used for Offsetting all debts/expenses incurred during this Transaction. We have decided that this transaction can Only proceed under the following conditions: 1. That you treat this transaction with utmost secrecy And confidentiality and conviction of your transparent Honesty. 2. That upon the receipt of the funds you will release The funds as instructed by us after you have removed Your 20% share. Please acknowledge the receipt of This mail by using the e-mail address below. I will bring you into the nomenclature of this Transaction when I have heard from you. Your urgent response will be highly appreciated as we Catching on the next payment schedule for this Financial quarter. Please be assured that this Transaction is 100% risk free, only trust can Make the reality of this transaction.Please reply through Email: hassma22@latinmail.com Best Regards, MR MAT HASSAN.

_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam