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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: "DATA BASSER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <takem4037@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:19:49 -0400
Subject: How do we go about this?

Greetings my friend,
 
I am Cpt. George Martins, an assistant comptroller of the Nigerian customs service.
 
I have been looking for an opportunity to invest in your country, and that desire has just appeared possible.
 
In my department, we were asked to refund over 100,000,000 USD to importers, whom we mistakenly charged excess import duties in cargo import clearances, but as the time has been long, it is very difficult to locate some of the people to receive the excess import duties which they paid so many years ago, as most of them have relocated to their countries or other countries of their choice, due to the reason best known to them.
 
After we have paid some importers we were able to locate and identify, an excess amount of 12,900,000.00 USD was left unclaimed. Due to the fact that i am in charge of this payment, i cannot allow this sum to be returned back to the customs coffers. Hence, i have decided to communicate with you, so that i will present you as the importer remaining to be paid of the said amount, so that you can claim it and we share it 60% for me, while 40% will be for you.
 
This deal is simple and neat. there is nothing illegal attached, nor to fear. I am in charge of this deal and so i report what happens finally and no cause for alarm.
 
If you can be reliable and ready to deal on with me, please kindly communicate me back urgently, so that we can get the process done, to enable the fund processed and released to you, as every necessary arrangements required to get the fund processed and released to you as the final beneficiary is intact and will be perfected by me without any hitch.
 
I am looking forward to receive your partnership acceptance on this deal and also a promissory note that you will never betray my trust after receiving the fund, then the fund is as good as ours.
 
Please, do not forget the sharing arrangement will be, 60% for me, while 40% will come to you. After we shared the funds, you will assist me to invest mine into whatever good business in your country or whatever you know that can be lucrative.
 
Once again i thank you for giving my position a positive consideration and i promise to stand by my word till this deal is successfully done.
 
Have a nice day.
 
George Martins
 
ACGs
 
 

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