joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "oke williams" <okewilliamsmith10@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:56:56 +0000
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FROM: THE DESK OF Mr.Oke William Smith.
FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA Plc.
35 MARINA
FIRST BANK BUILDING
LAGOS

DEAR Friend,

SUBJECT : REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FIRST I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION, THIS IS BY VIRTURE OF ITS NATURE AND
BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL. I MAZI MADU
SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FIRST BANK OF
NIGERIA Plc. I CAME TO KNOW YOU IN MY SEARCH FOR A
RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS
CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION, WHICH INVOLVES THE TRANSFER
OF A HUGE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT
REQUIRING MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.

THE PREPOSITION:

THE LATE FOREIGN ENGINEER JOHN JOHNSON, AN OIL
MERCHANT / CONTRACTOR WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF
NIGERIA, UNTIL HIS DEATH TEN YEARS AGO IN A GHASTLY
AIR CRASH, BANKED WITH US HERE IN NIGERIA AT THE FIRST
BANK OF NIGERIA Plc. LAGOS. HE HAD A CLOSSING BALANCE
OF US$12,200,000.00 (TWELVE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS). WHICH THE BANK, NOW UNQUESTIONABLY
EXPECTS TO BE CLAIMED BY MR JOHN JOHNSON'S NEXT OF
KIN.
FERVENT VALUABLE EFFORT, HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE FIRST
BANK OF NIGERIA, TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF JOHNSONS
FAMILY BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY
TO LOCATE MR JOHNSONS NEXT OF KIN, THAT THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE BANK UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR
CHAIRMAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADMIRAL MICHAEL OKHAI
AKHIGE, WHO HAS AGREED THAT SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURED
IN 1991 AND HAS LEFT THE FUND DORMANT AND DEVALUED. WE
SHOULD TRANSFER THE FUND OVERSEAS AND UTILIZE IT
EITHER ON STOCK MARKET INVESTMENT OR PERSONAL BUSINESS
INTEREST IF NO ONE COMES UP AS THE NEXT OF KIN.

YOUR ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT AS THE FUND WHEN CONCLUDED
ON TRANSFER WILL BE JUSTIFIABLY PRESENTED AS HAVING
BEEN REMMITED INTO THE NEXT OF KINS ACCOUNT WHICH IS
ASSUMED TO BE YOU. YOUR INTEREST WILL BE PROTECTED AS
UNECCESSARY DOCUMENTATION WILL BE AVOIDED AND ADEQUATE
PERCENTAGES (%) HAVE SCHEDULED FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT.

1. ACCOUNT HOLDER -- 25%
2. NIGERIA -- 60%
3. 10% INCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED IN
THE COURSE OF THIS
TRANSACTION.

NOTE THAT ALL MODALITIES NECESSARY FOR THIS TRANSFER
HAVE BEEN PERFECTED AND THE TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK
FREE.

I AM AWAITING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE WHETHER ACCEPTED OR
NOT.

Regards,
Mr.Oke William Smith.

Anti-fraud resources: