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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: "Lewechi Idikachi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lewechiidikachi@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2014 22:37:39 -0800
Subject: We now desire to transfer this money

Hello,
 
I am Mr.Lewechi Idikachi, Director of Operations of the National Petroleum
Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) which is a subsidiary of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Lagos.
 
I am seeking your assistance in helping me to receive a large amount of
money (exactly US$12.5M). The US$12.5M originated from a contract that was
awarded in 2012 to a foreign company registered with the NNPC. The
contract was over-invoiced to the tune of $12.5M (Twelve Million, Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). This was done deliberately by my
Committee. The over-invoicing was a deal by members of my Committee to
benefit from the project.
 
We now desire to transfer this money which is presently in a suspense
account of the NNPC with a bank in Europe which the details will be made
known to you immediately we hear from you. These US$12.5M is now floating
in a suspense account in the bank and will be moved by telegraphic
transfer within 48 hours of perfection of your account coordinates once
you indicate your readiness, maturity and ability to handle the deal.
 
For the funds to be transferred, we need you to stand in as the
beneficiary because you are a foreigner and is expected to provide a
foreign account which we as civil servants in Nigeria are not permitted to
operate because of the law of the country, hence we need you to stand and
receive the US$12.5M as a contractor /beneficiary.
 
Benefit: For providing the account where we shall remit the money and for
your assistance in this deal, you will receive 35% of the total fund, 60%
will be for me and my partners, while 5% has been mapped out from the
total sum to cover any expenses that might be incurred from both side
during the cause of this transaction.  
 
 
With the above explanations, what is required from you is trust and
honesty and in accepting this deal, I want you to forward the following to
me:
 
1) Your full name:
2) Phone, fax and mobile #:
3) Company name, position and address if any:
4) Profession, age and marital Status:
5) Country and residential address in full:
 
Kindly indicate your interest by sending your reply to my private email:
lewechiidikachi@yahoo.com.ph
 
Regards,
Lewechi Idikachi.

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