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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: Maureen Tinsha <matinshara@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 18:02:28 +0100
Subject: Message,

Compliment of the day to you. I wish to extend this mutual business
proposal to you with the hope that you will gladly accept. I am the
principal auditor of the Ivory Coast National Petroleum Corporation. A post
i have held for the past three years. In the course of discharging my duty
last year, i discovered that some government officials in the past,
committed some irregularities in the form of over-invoiced contract values
which eventually got into their private bank accounts.

What interests me most, and for which reason i am writing you is this
particular contract which was awarded to a foreign contractor, it was
overestimated by the tune of $23.8m (Twenty three million, eight hundred
thousand united state dollars).

This contract has been completed and commissioned and the contractor fully
paid, but the $23.8m over estimated value of the contract is still lying
at the Bank because of the haste with which the last Government was removed
from office, these men has no chance to collect this money before leaving
the office.

But as a result of updated payments advise at the Bank, it has been
awaiting transfer to a foreign account. In my report, I recommended that
this money should be paid but on the condition that the contractor should
be informed. My recommendation was accepted and I have been given the
go-ahead order to get in-touch with the foreign contractors, but since the
contractor has been fully paid for the job done,

I want to divert this money to another foreign account. Having done all the
necessary ground work. this money is in my possession and I am looking
forward for a trust worthy person into whose private or company's account
this money will be transferred .I wish to retire from service after this
transaction and go into business in your country through you as my agent.

You are therefore requested to kindly allow me to transfer this money into
your account provided that I can withdraw this money when I want to. Upon
the transfer of this money,65% of the total sum will be for me and my
colleagues while 30% shall be for you the account owner and the remaining
5% shall be set aside to refund expenses made in the course of this
transaction . Be assured that this transaction is 100% risk free.

I await your quickest response as time is of essence in this transaction, I
also want you to bear in mind that this transaction will take us 4 to 5
working days to conclude as I have make all arrangement with a lawyer for
a very long time now for the processing of the documents for the transfer
of the fund to the Bank account you will provide. as soon as you reply me.
I will be waiting for your urgent reply.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Maureen Tinsha

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