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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: "Turku Mobolaji-Johnson." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <akins2008@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 22:43:10 +0100
Subject: YOUR LETTER.

Dear Sir/ Madam,
 
Have you over the years maintained cordial banking relationship with your bankers? can you receive US$30M in your bank account without the authorities raising eyebrows? I am an ethnic conflict Analyst by training, and as a freelance interpreter, I also work as a native mediator. Please, do not discredit my proposition because of the manner it came to you; In lack of better options owing to time constraint, I decided to adopt this channel to solicit for your assistance in my unfinished business.
 
It was a 'fight of tooth and claw' between myself and the arbitrators that negotiated the compensation-bid offered to the five (5) local tribes in the oil rich Niger-Delta region for the degradation of their ancestral lands by oil spills as a result of the exploration activities of the three major Oil Exploration Firms In the Sub Saharan Africa. I must testify to you that the US$30M emanated from my inclusion of an extra Suit which gave me the opportunity to over-inflate the total sum of 'Damages Claimed' as a result of which the said amount is now outstanding.
 
The final payment schedule for PAIV-batch 'C' category has been appropriated and I can only extract the inflated sum of US$30M by receiving the payment through a partner who I shall present as one of the petitioners whose commercial activity was also disrupted by the menace of the Oil spills. All logistics have been carefully mapped out for a hitch free transaction. Please, furnish me with your phone number if you are interested, your remuneration, and the modality of this transaction will be discussed upon your reply.
Thanks in anticipation, I look forward to rearing from you at your earliest convenience.
 
Best Regards,
M.J Turku.

Anti-fraud resources: