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: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:06:07 +0000
Subject: AFTER A SERIOUS THOUGHT,



DR SANUSI JOSEPHPLOT 25,SUITE 2B C.B.N ESTATESATELLITE TOWN LAGOS.Phone: 00234-8023319502.
Email:williamebehprivate@mighty.co.zaATTN: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.DEAR SIR,AFTER A SERIOUS THOUGHT, I DECIDED TO REACH YOU DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST YOU, BUT YOUR NIGERIAN PARTNERS. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF WIRE TRANSFER/TELEX DEPARTMENT OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, SOME TIME IN THE PAST YOUR NIGERIAN PARTNERS APPROACHED ME THROUGH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WORKS WITH ONE OF THE MINISTRIES HERE AND REQUESTED THAT I ASSIST THEM CONCLUDE A MONEY TRANSFER DEAL.THEY GAVE ME YOUR NAME, AND BANK PARTICULARS AND TOLD ME TO PUT THEM INTO OUR COMPUTING SYSTEM IN THE LAB SO THAT IT WILL APPEAR AS IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE GENUINE BENEFICIARY THAT HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR PAYMENT. ACCORDING TO THEM, THEY WANTED TO USE THIS STRATEGY TO TRANSFER A HUGE AMOUNT OF UNITED STATES DOLLARS WHICH THEY ACCUMULATED INHERITANCE FUNDS AND THE MONEY HAS BEEN FLOATING IN THE CBN SINCE THEN ON YOUR NAME.WE AGREED THAT ONCE I DO THIS, THEY WOULD GIVE ME S$100,000.00 AND GIVE ME ANOTHER US$100,000.00 WHEN I RELEASE THE FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT. WHEN THEY SAW THAT I HAVE DONE IT AND YOUR NAME HAS BEEN APPROVED AMONG THE LIST OF THOSE TO BE PAID, INSTEAD OF GIVING ME THE AGREED DEPOSIT OF US$100,000.00, THEY STARTED AVOIDING ME AND RESORTED TO THREATS. I IMMEDIATELY DELETED THE TRANSFER CODE OF THE FUND, WHICH IS ONLY KNOWN TO ME BECAUSE OF MY POSITION, AND RELEASED OTHER CONTRACTORS FUND WITHOUT YOURS. THEY BECAME ANGRY THE MORE WHEN THEY SAW THAT THEIR THREAT DID NOT WORK, AND STARTED BRIBING OTHER OFFICIALS TO GET ANOTHER APPROVAL TO TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU WITHOUT SUCCESS.I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELAY AND OBSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR BREACH OF CONTRACT. IF YOU DOUBT WHAT I HAVE JUST TOLD YOU, PAY ANY AMOUNT THEY WILL ASK YOU TO PAY NOW, AFTER A SHORT TIME THEY WILL COME UP WITH ANOTHER REASON TO PAY AGAIN AND IT GOES ON AND ON. THEY ARE SIMPLY WICKED. NOW IF YOU WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER, THESE ARE MY CONDITIONS.I. I WILL HAVE 20% OF THE MONEY BECAUSE IT IS ONLY THE TWO OF US LEFT FOR NOW.II. YOU WILL ASSIST MY SON TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER PLACE OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL PAY IN MY OWN SHARE.III. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WILL BE USELESS AND MERE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY IF YOU CONTINUE WITH ANY OTHER PERSON, SO WE WILL CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION WITH UTMOST SECRECY WITH THE ABOVE TELEPHONE AND EMAIL ONLY.IV. YOU WILL PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE, MOBILE AND FAX NUMBERS AS WELL AS YOUR EMAIL I.D. (IF ANY) TO FACILITATE EASY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOU AND I ONLY. IF THESE CONDITIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO LET US FINALIZE, SO THAT THE FUNDS CAN BE RELEASED TO YOUR ACCOUNT AFTER DUE PROTOCOLS HAS BEEN OBSERVED.BUT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, I ADVICE YOU TO FORGET THE FUND AND STOP WAISTING YOUR TIME WITH YOUR SO CALLED PARTNERS.BEST REGARDS.DR SANUSI JOSEPHDIRECTOR, WIRE TRANSFER/TELEX DEPT. (CBN) .

Anti-fraud resources: