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: Edward Smith <edwardsm_102@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:49:51 -0400
Subject: CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.



From the Desk of: ENGR. Edward Smith,. B Sc (CTU) M. Sc,Director, Project ImplementationEMAIL ADDRESS=edwardsm_101@yahoo.com

PRIVATEDear sir,
I am Edward Smith, a Native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Mining & Natural Resources. First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due toconfidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium.
Be informed that a member of the South Africa Export Promotion Council (SAEPC) who was at the Government delegation to your country during a trade exhibition gave your enviable credentials/particulars to me. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you willkeep it as a top secret because of the nature of this transaction.
Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources where I work as an director and with the cooperation of four other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payment bills totaling Twenty-Seven Million, One Hundred Thousand united states dollars (US$27,100,000.00) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and co-operation of a foreign company/individual to receive the said fund on our behalf into a reliable company/individual account depending on your convenience.
More so, we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance the whole transaction. This amount (US$27.1m) represents the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiceddeliberately. Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original contractor,leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount which we have in principles gotten approval to remit by Key Tested Telegraphic Transfer (K.T.T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by filing in an application through the Justice Ministry here in South Africa for the transfer of rights and privileges of the former contractor to you.
I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 30% of the US$27.1 million, 60% for us and 10% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part provided youtreat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction.
I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me. Endeavor to contact me immediately through my secured tel/fax number whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me contact other foreign partner with recommendation to carry out this deal. I want to assure you that myself and my partners are in a position to make the payment of this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and Please remember to treat this matter as very confidential matterbecause we will not comprehend with any form of exposure as we are still in active Government Service and remember once again that time is of the essence in this business.
Kindly establish your response directly by EMAIL :[edwardsm_101@yahoo.com] ,to the committee's representative whose name appears below. We wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Smith (ENGR.)
DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGYREPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
_________________________________________________________________
Peek-a-boo FREE Tricks & Treats for You!
http://www.reallivemoms.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM&loc=us

Anti-fraud resources: