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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: "MR.JOHN WALKER" <hhdd926@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: mr.johnwalker@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 03:56:29 +0800 (CST)
Subject: REPLY URGENT I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE


DEAR BENEFICIARY,

MY
NAME IS
MR.JOHN WALKER OF TELEX/COMPUTER DEPARTMENT OF THE AFRI BANK, PORT
HARCOURT - NIGERIA. I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE EMAIL BASED ON THE
CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE TRANSACTION. PLEASE, I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE; IF
AFTER GOING THROUGH MY PROPOSAL AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT
TO YOURSELF.

AS OF THIS MOMENT, I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH THE
AB NIGERIA. AND I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB, SO IF YOU
ARE NOT INTERESTED, KEEP THIS TO YOURSELF. I HAVE PUT IN OVER 23 YEARS
IN THIS BANK BUT I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. THIS IS JUST MY
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE MY CHILDREN A DECENT TRAINING SINCE
MY GOVT WHICH IS CORRUPT HAS REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF ITS
RESPONSIBILITY. IN FACT I AM SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYTHING HERE AND I
NEED TO GET OUT.

I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALMOST MET ALL THE
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR PAYMENT. PLEASE BE EQUALLY
ADVISED THAT NO SECURITY COMPANY IN AFRICA CAN HANDLE YOUR CONTRACT
PAYMENT/INHERITANCE FUND WITH ANY BANK WITHOUT THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE
AFI BANK, NIGERIA.

YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUP IN THE
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ORDER TRANSFER OF YOUR
FUND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AB. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR
PAYMENT AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM
DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY, THEIR WHOLE GAME PLAN IS TO FRUSTRATE YOU;
IN-ORDER FOR YOU TO ABANDON THE PAYMENT AND THEN, THEY WILL BE
COMFORTABLE AND BE FREE ENOUGH TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS INTO THEIR OVERSEAS
ACCOUNT. THEIR AIM AND TARGET IS NOT THE MONEY YOU ARE GIVING THEM BUT
TO FRUSTRATE YOU, HENCE, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM TO BELIEVE TO BE
GENUINE.

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS MAY LAST FOR YEARS, YET
NOTHING HAPPENS,TO SUM IT UP, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION
HERE IN THE TELEX DEPARTMENT, I CAN PUNCH THE COMPUTER AND CREDIT YOUR
ACCOUNT STRAIGHT, I CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS UNDER FIVE
WORKING DAYS, BUT WE HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE
TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS
DEAL.

FINALLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL IF YOU ACCEPT MY PROPOSAL, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME
IMMEDIATELY ON MY PRIVATE MAIL ADDRESS (mr.johnwalker@ymail.com ) AND
CONFIRM YOUR PARTICULARS ON REPLY.

REGARDS,

MR.JOHN WALKER.

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