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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: "Department of Minerals and Energy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marktumelo@qq.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 17:53:56 +0200
Subject: ENGR. Mark Tumelo


From the Desk of: ENGR. Mark Tumelo.

Department of Minerals and Energy.
MEMO


ATTN,
s
With great pleasure I am writing this proposal on behalf of my partners. I have the mandate of my senior colleagues Mrs. Betty Umalen, to solicit the assistance of foreign business partners in this matter, Hence I have decided to seek your cooperation and assistance in this business of mutual benefit by sending this letter to you.
There is a program currently on, in the department were I work as projects director. Inviting holders with proof of government indebtedness that stands at an envisaged accruing interest of $645.2 million on projects and supplies, to submit same to enable their claims go through payment process. Some of these debts have been redeemed in their principal component leaving behind accrued interest portion unpaid.
Within the Department of Minerals and Energy were I work, we have been able to record an accrued interest bills of Twenty-eight million Five hundred thousand United States Dollars ($28,500,000.00) on supplies which we have in principle, an approval to remit overseas. This we can do by appropriate forms of documentation with application for claim to reflect the approval and payment.
Our constraint is to be able to source a trustworthy individual, to whom we can remit this fund and act as trustee, since our period of disengagement from the civil service is near.
We are presently affected by the South African civil service code of conduct, which prohibits civil servants from operating foreign accounts. Moreover, I have the authority of my partners to propose that should you be willing to assist us in this transaction, you will be highly compensated on percentage bases.
This transaction should be handled with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Furthermore, your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction.

Yours faithfully,

ENGR. Mark Tumelo

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