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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: Ahmad Zahari Alif <fbivisitng@gmail.com>
Reply-To: officewebname@qq.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:52:57 -0800
Subject: GREETINGS

Greetings,

After my official inquiry from the foreign trade office of the
chambers of commerce & industry here in Lagos, I decided to contact
you but I did not disclose the intention to anyone else because of the
delicate nature of the project. I found your profile very interesting
and decided to reach you directly to solicit for your assistance and
guidelines in making a business investment and transfer of
US$70.500,000,000.00(Seventy Million Five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars Only) to your country I'm a citizen of Libya working as
Oil expatriate in West Africa Nigeria precisely.

Please I must plead for your confidence in this transaction. I am a
high placed official working with Department of (Energy and Mineral
Resources) in Lagos. I'm need of a silent foreign partner whose
identity I can use to transfer this sum of money. But at this moment,I
am constrained to issue more details about this profitable business
investment until I get your response by email, please if you can take
out a moment of your very busy schedule today to respond back to this
email for more details and include your private telephone number in
your response to enable me call you immediately.

This fund accrued legitimately to us as commission from foreign
contracts, through our private connections, the fund is presently
waiting to be remitted from the bank to you for investment in your
country. As you know we are highly placed civil servants, we are not
allowed by the civil service code of conduct to own or operate bank
accounts outside our shores. On the other hand, it is not safe for us
to keep the money here due to unstable political environment. I have
been mandated as a matter of trust by my colleagues, to look for an
overseas silent partner who could work with us to facilitate transfer
of this fund for our mutual benefit. Since my objective is to invest
the money in a foreign country, it would be appreciated if you could
also help me with advises and direction on investing into profitable
ventures in your country.

The transaction, although discreet,is legitimate and the money will be
transferred successfully with all necessary back-up official documents
showing the legitimate source/origin of fund. The transfer will be
affected within a period not longer than two weeks as soon as we reach
an agreement and you furnish me with a suitable response indicating
your interest for the investment. I plead with you on one issue,
whether you are interested or not, kindly do not expose this
information to any one else. I confirm that the transaction is
legitimate and without any risks either to us or yourself.

I await your urgent response.

Yours faithfully,
Ahmad Zahari Alif

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