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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: apostle harford <apostlehord@msn.com>
Reply-To: <apharford@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:26:17 +0000
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF: Apostle (Dr.) Hayford



FROM THE DESK OF: Apostle (Dr.) Hayford I. Alile, OFR, NPOM OCEANIC BANK PLCLagos, Nigeria[+234-8030-992543]
ATTENTION:Honourable Contractor,
I have been requested by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company to contact you for assistance in resolving a matter. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company has recently concluded a large number of contracts for oil exploration in the sub-Sahara region. The contracts have immediately produced moneys equalling US$40,000,000. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company isdesirous of oil exploration in other parts of the world, however, because of certain regulations of the Nigerian Government, it is unable to move these funds to another region.
Your assistance is requested as a non-Nigerian citizen to assist theNigerian National Petroleum Company, and also the Central Bank of Nigeria, inmoving these funds out of Nigeria. If the funds can be transferred to your name,in your United States account, then you can forward the funds as directed by theNigerian National Petroleum Company. In exchange for your accomodatingservices, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company would agree to allow you toretain 20%, or US$8 million of this amount.
However, to be a legitimate transferee of these moneys according toNigerian law, you must presently be a depositor of at least US$100,000 in aNigerian bank which is regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
If it will be possible for you to assist us, we would be most grateful.We suggest that you meet with us in person in Lagos, and that during your visitI introduce you to the representatives of the Nigerian National PetroleumCompany, as well as with certain officials of the OCEANIC BANK PLC of Nigeria.
Please call me at your earliest convenience at [+234-8030-992543] Timeis of the essence in this matter; very quickly the Nigerian Government willrealize that the OCEANIC Bank is maintaining this amount on deposit, and attemptto levy certain depository taxes on it.
Yours truly, etc.Apostle Hayford Alile

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