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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: williams don <donwilliams2021@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 12:53:45 +0100
Subject: Confidential level


STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND URGENT

With reference to an introduction and recommendation made of esteem firm
by the Nigeria chamber of commerce, industry and Agriculture. I do hereby
wish to commence talk with you on a highly confidential level.
i am an accountant and a Member of the "Tender committee" of my
corporation, the Nigeria National petroleum corporation (NNPC). After due
consultation with other members of the committee, I have specifically been
mandate to arrange with you for a possible transfer of some funds being an
Over estimated Sum resulting from various contracts executed by foreign
firms for my corporation.
The contracts in question were for the following:-
1. The construction of OSO condensate recovery plant worth $1.2b.
2. Construction of several pipeline networks worth $1.0b for crude, gas
and petroleum products evacuation.
3. Purchase of drilling and production equipment worth $700m.
4. $80m for turn around maintenance (T.A.M).
The original values of these contracts were purposely over invoiced by
us (tender committee) with the sum of $35.5m (Thirty five million, five
hundred thousand U.S. Dollars only). Now that all the firms have received
their supposed accordingly and the project commissioned, we want to transfer
this over-inflated sum to a trusted partner's account.
We have agreed that if you or your company can act as the beneficiary,
you or your company will retain 30% of the total amount while 10% will be
set aside to off-set any bill (expenses) incurred during the course of
transfer.
All modalities have been worked out with top officials of Federal
Ministry of finance and central Bank of Nigeria to facilitate the remittance
of this sum to your account within ten (10) working days after receiving the
following particulars/information from you:
A. name of the bank, Account number, Telex numbers of the bank.
B. Your personal Telex numbers.
C. Name of the company /beneficiary.
On your sending these particulars, we shall make sure the approval is
followed vigorously. Final arrangement has been perfected here for a
successful and hitch-free transfer of this sum of money into your account.
The personalities involved in this business are top and influential
government functionaries who would not like any form of exposure and as such
would want you to keep this business a top secret and confidential.
Please handle this arrangement with maturity, topmost secrecy and
Urgency. Please send the particulars through this email

Email: donwilliams2020@gmail.com

As we look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully,
P. DONALD WILLIAMS

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