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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: "Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bernardonotti@nokiamail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:47:35 -0500
Subject: GREETING

Greetings
My Name is Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti, the Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's (NNPC)
I have on my desk, a file of an over invoiced contract project at the tune of Seventy Five Million, One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$75,100,000.00)
Following the sudden death of the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's (NNPC) Group General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Levi Ajuonuma who was on board the ill fated fatal Dana plane that crashed on the 3th of June 2012, I am now in charge of these Funds (news of his demise could be read via the below link)
http://www.zimbio.com/Nigeria+Today/articles/Sm1zYy2hrcV/Levi+Ajuonuma+burial+September+13+14+2012
2010, a Contract project was awarded to a foreign contractor in The Nigerian Downstream Oil Sector and the over invoiced. This contract was over invoiced to the tune of US$75.1Million Dollars. This was done deliberately and the over - invoicing was a deal by my committee to benefit from the project. The amount is presently in a suspense account with the P.T.F and we wish to remmit these funds abroad with the help of a reliable foreign partner, hence I am contacting you.
Please, if you are interested in this preposition, I would require the following information from you which would enable me make formal application since I am the payment schedule officer in charge of the scheduling the payment by putting your name as the original contractor and put it through to the bank so that the money would be paid to you for us to share by 50% each.
Please if you are interested please furnish me with the following information so that we will start the transactions immediately.
1.Your Full Name, Company's Name, Address, Telephone and Fax Numbers. 2.Your Bank Name, Address. Telephone and Fax Number. 3.Your Bank Account Number and Beneficiary Name - You must be the signatory.
I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti,
Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)

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