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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <shaunslovo@contractor.net>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2014 21:52:38 +0200
Subject: Urgent Notification (Please acknowledge)

Mr Shaun Slovo.
Johannesburg, Gauteng,
South Africa 2001
Tel: +27 78 200 9846
Fax: +27 72 351 5272
E- Mail: shaunslovo@contractor.net
 
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I am Mr Shaun Slovo, Director Project Implementation with South African Anglo-Gold Ashanti in Johannesburg and a member of the Contract Tenders Board (CTB) of the above corporation.
 
Your esteemed contact was reliably introduced to me at the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry in my search for a reliable individual/company who can handle a strictly confidential transaction, which involves the transfer of a reasonable sum of money to a foreign account. The amount of money involve is US$50, 000, 000, 00 (FIFTYMILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) only.
 
The money has already been extracted from various contracts awarded by this corporation, as a result of over-invoicing masterminded by the concerned officials; this has been drafted to represent the final payment for a contract that has been executed some years back. The money is now floating in the suspense account in the South Africa Reserve Bank awaiting claim by the foreign contractor whose status we now want you to assume.
Now is the best time to transfer this fund, following the presidential directive to all ministries to settle all outstanding debts owed to local and foreign contractors, In my last meeting with the officials involve, it was unanimously agreed that 25% of the total sum will be given to you, 70% will be for us while 5% will be used to reimburse any expenses that will be incurred in the process of the transfer.
 
What I need from you at the moment is to send me the information below;
 
(1) FULL NAMES ……….
(2) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS……
(3) DATE OF BIRTH ………..
(4) TELEPHONE / CELL NUMBERS……..
 
I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free as we have concluded every arrangement to protect the interest of everyone involved, likewise all modalities for the successful transfer of this money have been worked out with Department of Finance and the South Africa Reserve Bank to facilitate the remittance of this fund to your designated account within 72 hours after your claim has been approved.
 
However, I believe that you are honest enough and will not raise any misgiving attitude in any aspect of the transaction, more importantly, that you will keep this transaction confidential so as not to tarnish the confidence reposed on these officials by the government of South Africa. If this proposal is of interest to you, kindly contact me with above telephone number first before sending email.
 
Best regards,
 
Mr Shaun Slovo.
Director Project Implementation
South African Anglo-Gold Ashanti

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