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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: "NG" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fredokonjo01@googlemail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:48:47 +0100
Subject: Transaction

>From the Desk of:
Dr Fred Okonjo
Executive Director/Financial Controller
(NNPC)Lagos-Nigeria.
 
ATTN:Sir/Madam,
 
CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
 
I am the financial controller of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and by the virtue a director in the NNPC Lagos.I got your contact address from an associate working with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and decided to propose to you this business in strict confidence.
 
PURPOSE:
 
On behalf of myself and my colleagues who are ministerial official and other officers in charge of offshore remittance in this corporation, we are seeking your assistance for the transfer of Forty Million(US$40,000,000.00) to your account for further private
investment purpose,Hence our request for your assistance.
 
SOURCE OF FUND:
 
This amount to be transferred into your account accrued from over-invoiced contract amounts of the construction of Oil Refinery Sub-Stations in Nigeria (Northern Region) in 2003 to expatriate companies.The contract which was originally valued for One Hundred and Twenty Seven Million United States Dollars (US$120,000,000.00) was manipulated to read One Hundred and Sixty  Million United States Dollars($160,000,000.00)The extra $40,000,000.00 is what we want to transfer to your account.This contract has been completely executed and the contractors has been paid all their contract bills remaining this US$40,000,000.00 only
 
REQUIREMENTS:
 
What we expect from your mail during reply are:
Name and address,Your telephone and fax numbers,for easy communication.
 
DISBURSEMENT:
 
We have resolved that you take 25% of the total amount for your assistance because it is impossible for us to claim the over-invoiced amount here in Nigeria without your assistance.In addition,10% (US$4,000,000.00) has been mapped out for any miscellaneous expenses incurred by you and us during this business, and 65% is for my colleagues and myself.
 
SECURITY:
 
All modalities to effect the payment and subsequent transfer of this money have been worked out,so this transaction is 100% risk free.I will appreciate it if you treat this business with strict confidence it demands for security reasons.It might surprise you why we choose you and trusted you for this transaction. Yes we believe that good friends can be discovered and business like this cannot be realized without trust.
 
This is why we have decided to trust you for this transaction. We are looking forward to doing  this transaction with you. Be further informed that your interest and security had been considered before you were contacted.
 
Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated
 
Best Regards,
Dr.Fred Okonjo
Email: fredokonjo01@googlemail.com

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