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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 MGBALA FRED AZU" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 19:50:54 -0700
Subject: FROM DR FRED AZU MGBALA.

Dear Friend,

I am Dr Fred Azu Mgbala, an accountant with an Oil company, a foreign oil company based in bonny - rivers state of Nigeria, the home of bunny light crude oil. We also maintained a liaison office in Lagos Nigeria. Beagon oil was involved in prospecting, drilling and bunkering of oil at high sea (offshore) with expatriate consisting majority of the staff strength. unfortunately, these expatriates got into an illegal sale of oil and the money from it transferred through a security company out of the country but with a security stamp on it and after some time the federal government of Nigeria discovered the illegal deal, and revoked their license and the expatriates were repatriated.

By virtue of my position as the accountant of the oil company, I have in my possession all documents containing all information about one of those trunk boxes deposited with the security company. The content of the box is thirty-five million, United States dollars (us$35m). I have put in an application with the security company to transfer this one box to their correspondence office in America, Asia or Europe which they have obliged. And being that this deal was carried out by a foreign firm, i need a trust worthy foreigner like you that will claim this box from the security company office abroad and assist us to a logical conclusion of this pending business which I believe that if you assist us to claim the box, that both of us are bound to benefit from the transaction.

Right now all i need from you is to stand before the security company and sign as one of the expatriates to enable you claim the money and pay it into your bank account after you must have claimed the box (money) out of the security company. Please, note that this transaction is 100% risk-free and there is no harm or scam involved, for every machinery have been put in place for successful and smooth conclusion of this mutual benefit transaction. And please remember, that I have with me all the necessary and vital documents that will prove that the money belong to us. I expect you to be trustworthy and kind enough to keep my own share of the money when the money finally gets into your account.

I have agreed to share this money 50-50 for your sincere and candid effort in this regard.

Acknowledge the receipt of this proposal immediately, please send me your home or company’s address, private telephone number or cell phone, and fax number for easier communication in this transaction.

Best regards,
Dr Fred Azu Mgbala

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