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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: "From Oliver Alawuba" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alawubaoliver.uba@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 11:20:43 -0700
Subject: can i trust you with this???

Dear good friend,
My Name is Mr. Oliver Alawuba; I am the Regional Manager of United Bank for Africa,[U.B.A] Asaba-Delta states branch Nigeria. I write you this proposal in good faith; I am married with two lovely children. I am a man of peace, and have sincere respect for human feelings and opinions. I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I.
 
As the Regional Manager of United Bank for Africa,[U.B.A], Asaba Delta-States branch Nigeria it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city,Lagos-States at the end of each business year. On the course of last year, 2013 business report, I discovered that the branch in which I am the Manager made Eight million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($8,750,000.00) which my head office is not aware of and will never be aware of.
 
I have placed this funds on what we call Escrow call account with no beneficiary and till now nobody from my branch are aware of this Escrow Call Account. As an officer of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money due to my position in this bank, so my aim of contacting you is to assist me as the second party and as well the rightful beneficiary that deposited the fund with my bank to receive this money in your bank account and get 35% of the total funds as commission.
 
There are practically no risks involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law in your country and mine too, it will be simply a bank-to bank transfer or depends on your choice of payment that suite you, and all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of these funds who made the deposit with my branch as a formal contractor with the Inter Bau construction company at Asaba branch Delta States, Nigeria and among the contractors handle the contract award to your company  by the Minister of works, Mr. Mike Onelememen, for the Utoe Bridge project on Asaba-Ebu-Uromi Road in Delta, while your family based in Lagos states at the time you were still in Nigeria, so that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account under few working days.  If you accept to work with me I will appreciate it very much as you are the first and the only person I am contacting for
transaction.
Sincerely,
Mr Oliver Alawuba
Regional Manager of United Bank for Africa,[U.B.A]
Asaba-Delta States branch Nigeria.

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