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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: "Ahmed Sanni" <ahmed_san06@msn.com>
Reply-To: a_sanni2001@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 23:55:54 +0000
Subject: DEAR FRIEND

DEAR FRIEND,

REQUEST FOR A CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP.

COMPLEMENTS OF THE SEASON.
I REPRESENT A TEAM OF HIGHLY PLACED OFFICIALS WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL
PETROLEUM CORPORATION (N.N.P.C) AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
REVIEW COMMITTEE (CRC), WHO ARE INTERESTED IN COMMENCING IMMEDIATE BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, WE HEREBY STRONGLY SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN
TRANSFERRING (FOREX) FUNDS WHICH TOTALS US$10,500,000.00 (TEN MILLION, FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) INTO A RELIABLE PERSONAL OR
COMPANY ACCOUNT OVERSEAS WHICH YOU HAVE ABSOLUTE CONTROL OVER.

THESE FUNDS ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION (N.N.P.C) ACCOUNT WITH CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN). THESE ARE
AS A RESULT OF GROSSLY OVER - INVOICED CONTRACTS WHICH WERE EXECUTED FOR THE
NNPC DURING THE LAST ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA AND ARE PRESENTLY UNDER
VERIFICATION.

TO THIS EFFECT, THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA SET UP A CONTRACT
REVIEW COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY, VERIFY, SCRUTINIZE, APPROVE AND RECOMMEND FOR
PAYMENT ALL VALID CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN FULLY EXECUTED IN THE COURSE OF
OUR ASSESSMENT, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF MISAPPROPRIATED AND INFLATED
FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY FLOATING IN THE SUSPENSE ACCOUNT OF THE CENTRAL
BANK OF NIGERIA READY FOR PAYMENT. THE COMPANIES, WHICH EXECUTED THE
CONTRACTS, HAVE BEEN DULY PAID. IT IS THE OVER INFLATED SUM OF
US$10,500,000.00 THAT WE NOW INTEND TO TRANSFER INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT
URGENTLY.

I HAVE BEEN DELEGATED AS MATTER OF CAPABILITY BY MY COLLEAGUES TO SECURE THE
COOPERATION OF AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT THIS OVER INVOICED SUM
COULD BE TRANSFERRED FOR ONWARD DISBURSEMENT AMONGST US. PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST US BY SENDING YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER TO
ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. WE WILL SHARE THE FUND IN A RATIO WHICH WILL BE
SATISFACTORY TO ALL. HOWEVER, WE PROPOSE 70% FOR US (THE OFFICIALS), 30% FOR
THE ACCOUNT OWNER (YOU). PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE
AND SAFE. SO I WILL LIKE YOU TO GET BACK TO ME URGENTLY SO THAT I WILL START
PROCESSING THE NEEDED DOCUMENTS BECAUSE WE INTEND TO ACCOMPLISH THIS
TRANSFER WITHIN FIVE WORKING DAYS.

PLEASE TREAT WITH THE STRICTEST CONFIDENTIALITY AND UTMOST URGENCY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR. AHMED SANNI


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