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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. John Dike" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drjohndike@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:41:04 -0800
Subject: URGENT CONFIRMATION

Good day

I am the chief computer operator in my bank and account manager to a huge deposit of money; the fund in question has been floating in our system for couple of years without a beneficiary’s name affix to it.
You may ask me why? It was so because some members of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation NNPC contract awarding committee during their tenure in office, over invoiced a contract awarded to a foreign firm.
The original contract value was suppose to be US $150 million, but those government officials over invoiced it with the sum of $25 million, hence bringing the contract value to the tune of $175 million with the view of sharing the excess among themselves.
The contract was perfectly executed, and the main contractor has been paid of their due amount of $150 million, leaving the access amount of $25 million in the account. Soon after the main contract was paid, luck ran out of those government officials
as a new government took over the mantle of leadership in the country. Hence there was drastic change in various government ministries and retrenchment of many government officials.

This brought about the removal those government officials from office; as a result they have no access of this money again. For this reason this money has been lying in this bank over the years without any beneficiary.
Take note that the ministry in question has no knowledge of this money, as it was assumed that the entire amount of $ 175 million has been used to pay the main contractor. Also it may also interest you to know that my bank
is not aware of the mystery behind the existence of this money, which I am the account manager.

All I need from you is that you provide an account where this money could be transferred into for our mutual benefit. A foreigner is needed due to the nature of the deposit as it was meant for foreign contract payment.

Anticipating your prompt response!

Dr. John Dike
GARKII 2 ABUJA,Nigeria
(NNPC)

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