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"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: "ALFRED IBRU" <infoinbox3@me.by>
Reply-To: alfredibru@seznam.cz
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 19:51:51 +0100
Subject: Relocation of funds in your Favour


Dear Sir/Madam,

For introduction,I am a top government functionary in my country. Presently
I am the financial controller in the Federal Ministry of Finance of my
country.My Responsibility includes approving and paying off bills on behalf
of my government to various international companies that have executed
contracts for the government of my country.


Yearly funds are allocated to my department for purpose of paying the
government bills.Last year 2007, after paying the government bills, I still
had the sum of (US$15,000,000.00) fifteen Million US Dollars remaining in
the volt account.This balance of money was due to the reckless calculation
of the Accountant General office that over calculated the past year bills
and payments.As it is now , it is believed that I have paid the bills but in
reality the exccess of US$15,000,000.00 is in my posssession up till now.


Since this fund is not known to any person, I decided to hold it and never
to return it back to the Federation account.Because I am a civil servant, it
is not easy for me to keep this US$15,000,000.00 in my local account as it
will raise suspicion due to the fact that I am a
standard salary earner and my salary for 100 years cannot amount to such
money (US$15M).So if I keep the US$15,000,000 in my local account, it will
be discovered.It is best that I send the money to a foreign
account.Presently, I have moved the US$15,000,000 into a suspense account.

All through my life, I have been a civil servant so I have no opportunity to
have access to a foreign account where I can keep this fund.So I am
delibrately contacting you to invite you to be my partner to provide for me
an account where I can send this money for safe keeping so my government
will not know about it.I have all the logistics to pay in this money into
your bank account without any hinderance.

I know that your role in this matter is of importance, therefore I have
considered a fair compensation to you.I have personally decided to give to
you 30% of the US$15,000,000 after you help me receive this money. I will
give you more details of this fund transfer after I receive your reply
confirming your interest.Please I am most concerned about keeping this
information secret.

Alfred Ibru.

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