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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: "Mr. Adam Puru" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <adampuru111@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 15:08:07 +0200
Subject: RE: Hello..

Mr. Adam Puru®
Johannesburg, Gauteng,
South Africa 2001
Tel: +27 73 595 0553
Fax: +27 72 351 5272
E- Mail: adampuru111@outlook.com
 
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Mr. Adam Puru® 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 address 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 involved is US$50, 000, 000, 00 (FIFTY MILLION 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 involved, this has been drafted to represent
the final payment for a contract that has been executed to this corporation some years back. The money
is now floating in the suspense account of the South Africa Reserve Bank awaiting claim by any foreign
partner which status we now want you to resume.
 
Now is the optimum period to consummate this fund, following the presidential directive to all
ministries to settle all outstanding debts owed to both local and foreign contractors? In my last meeting
with the Officials involved, it was unanimously agreed that 25% of the total sum will be given to you,
70% will be for us while 5% will be use to reimburse the expenses that will be incurred in the processing
of this transfer.
 
What I need from you at the moment is to send me the information below;
 
(1) FULL NAMES ……….
(2) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS / COUNTRY OF ORIGIN……
(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 fund 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 very 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, then kindly contact me with above telephone number first before sending email.
Please treat this information as confidential.
 
Best regards,
 
Mr. Adam Puru®
Director Project Implementation
South African Anglo-Gold Ashanti

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