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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: Mrs Zainab Umar <mrszainabumar22222@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2017 08:24:53 -0800
Subject: Hello!Good-Day,

Dear Friend,

My name is Mrs Zainab Umar, the Personal Assistant and aid to the former
minister of petroleum and natural resources here in Nigeria.

Since 2015 when the current government took over the governance of the
country, all former political office holders that are strong critics
of the government of the day have been facing harassment and
intimidations from the authorities. This has resulted in accusations,
investigation, indictments and freezing of their assets and accounts.

I have been mandated by the former Minister to privately and secretly
seek the assistance of a trusted and reliable individual/company that
will receive and keep in their custody the sum of $45,500,000.00(
Forty Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) only,
to prevent the government from finding the money and seizing it.

Our request for your assistance is based on the fact that it has
become difficult to hold this money in the account of the former
minister or any of her aids.

The minister has offered to give you 30% of the total sum if you will
help secure the money.

Every formalities for the transfer of the fund and ownership to you
will be quickly processed once you declare your readiness to assist.

There is no risk of any sort involved as the transaction will be done
in a normal day to day business transaction.

What is most important now is the will and interest to assist and I
will outline to you the steps to actualize this once you signal your
willingness to help.

Awaiting your urgent response.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs Zainab Umar

Anti-fraud resources: