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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. Victor Dickson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vic1_dickson@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:46:26 +0100
Subject: Your kindest attention required

Good Day
 
I am very sorry if I may violate your policy or in any way hurt your feelings by intruding into your privacy, actually I was touched to write you, I am sincerely in need of your assistance. Please don't be offended. I felt I could make a good friend with you.
 
First and foremost, I am Mr. Victor Dickson, a Director with the Exxon Petrol Chemical Company and I have been delegated by my colleagues to seek the assistance of a reliable foreign partner, individual into whose bank account we can transfer the sum of US$15,500,000.00 (Fifteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).
 
This sum arose from the deliberate over-invoicing of contract bills of some contracts awarded by my colleagues and since then it has been lying in a suspense current account of the Exxon Petrol Chemical Company.
 
However, we have put in the necessary machinery that will enable us transfer this money into your account without any hitches and we have agreed to offer you 20% of the fund as soon as the money is transferred into your account and 10% has been mapped out to reimburse all local and international expenses that may incurred in the course of the transaction.
 
The nature of your business is not particularly relevant for the success of this transaction. All we require is your willingness to co-operate and assurance that our share of the money will be safe in your hand and will be given to us when this money arrives your account. All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure a no risk situation on the sides of both parties.
 
Please if this proposal is acceptable to you, contact me with the below details:
 
Full Name:
Address:
Telephone Number:
 
If you are not interested in this proposal, kindly let me know and do not disclose the contents of this letter to a third party.
 
Best Regards,
 
Mr. Victor Dickson
Exxon Petrol Chemical Company Ltd.

Anti-fraud resources: