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: " Dr.Micheal Chris" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michealchris2012@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:15:21 -0700
Subject: Request For Business Relationship iiiii

THIS MASSAGE IS RESPECTFUL YOURS,
 
 
Request For Urgent Business Relationship
 
We have the pleasure to make this surprising but mutually benefiting business proposal. I am Dr.Micheal Human Chris, a member of the newly inaugurated committee for the privatization of the Gold mines of the Ministry of geology and mines, in Burkina Faso. The members of the committee are interested in the importation of goods into the country with funds presently floating in the Central Bank of Burkina Faso /Ministry of Geology and Mines foreign payments account. I got your address through the office of the Burkina faso Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
 
The federal goverment of Burkina Faso, intends to release the six existing Gold mines to private individuals and companies. This is to make the Mines more viable, resourceful and to eliminate undue wastage and fraud. This privatization is in-line with the recommendations of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a prerequisite for future financial assistance.
The Mines are heavily indebted to many companies and my committee has the mandate (task) of compiling the names of these companies and debt owed them and also recommend for payment, all contracts that have been fully executed. With our position in the committee, which comprises of my ministry, federal ministry of Geology and mines, the federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) and the Central Bank of Burkina Faso (CBB), we have successfully secured for ourselves, the sum of US $63,000,000 (Sixty-three million United States Dollars). This sum was acquired by carefully inflating the amount of indebtedness by this amount (US $63,000,000).
We need a reliable company to be included in the list of companies to be paid. This company will be paid for a contract executed in  Kalsaka gold mine in 2007.
I was therefore mandated in trust by members of the committee, to seek a foreign partner into whose account we could transfer the sum of US $63,000,000, hence I am writing you this letter. We have agreed to share the funds thus:
1) 70% for us (the committee members)
2) 20% for you (the account owner)
3) 10% will be used in settling taxation and all local and foreign expenses that will be incurred in the course of this transaction It is from our 70% that we wish to commence the importation business. We also need assurance from you that you will let us have our share once the inflated amount (US $63,000,000.00) is transferred into your account.The payment will be done by the Central Bank of Burkina Faso (CBBF) through its correspondent bank. What we need from you, is that you provide a vital account into which the funds willbe transferred/lodged.Note that this transaction is 100% safe and guaranteed since the law under which our committee was set up, has empowered us to disburse all the funds.We shall commence the transfer of the funds immediately we receive the following
information by /Mail::
 
1) Your company name and full address
 
2) Your bank's name, telephone and fax number
 
3) Your account number and name of would be beneficiary
 
The above information will enable us put up letters of claim and job description to the respective ministries for the issuance of the mandatory fund release approval/recommendations. This way, your company will be recognized and
accepted as the beneficiary of the contract entitlements before the final remittance to your nominated account, by the Central Bank of Burkina Faso, being paying bank,through any of the government offshore banks.
 
Note that we will be responsible for the payment of the federal inland revenue tax on behalf of your company and a contract agreement between your company and the Ministère de la géologie shall be drawn up and antedated showing that your company has a legitimate contract with the ministry and must be paid.
 
We are looking forward to doing this business with you and solicit absolute confidentiality from you in this transaction. Please acknowledge receipt of this letter, immediately for more details regarding this transaction. Also endeavor to send the requested information.
 
yours Sincerely
 
Dr. Micheal Human Chris
(Committee Chairman)
 

Anti-fraud resources: