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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: "Dr. Michael Appiah" <dr.michaelappiah@gmail.com>
Reply-To: adr.michael@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 13:01:25 +0000
Subject: Contract Claim



Good day,


I am compelled to write to you about this urgent business. After due
consideration, I have no doubt that you will find this business
proposal interesting, as you and I stand to benefit enormously, and it
will foster a long lasting business relationship in the nearest future.
I was the secretary of the Contract Award Committee of the Ghana
National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) between 1999-2002. I retired
honorably from the civil service, I was not find wanting in all my
days in office.
During my tenure, as the Secretary of the Contract Award Committee of
GNPC, I awarded a contract to a foreign company. The contract sum was
deliberately over-invoiced (inflated) by me and the committee to the
amount of US$17,450,000M (Seventeen Million Four Hundred and Fifty
Thousand United States Dollars Only). The actual contract sum quoted
by the foreign company was US$50M, but I had to add US$17,450,000M,
therefore increasing the overall contract sum to US$67,450,000M. This
is with the knowledge of the foreign company owner Mr. Alain
Vaillancourt. I submitted the foreign company’s quotation/bid to the
Federal Executive Council, and the contract sum of US$67,450,000M was
approved. The foreign company has since completed the contract and
their actually contract sum of US$50M duly paid to them, therefore
leaving for me the over-invoiced sum of US$17,450,000.00M, as in the
contractual agreement I had with the foreign company.
Because of the accrual nature of the US$17,450,000.00M, and in an
agreement between the Federal Government and the World Bank officials,
this new government has approved and ordered the immediate transfer of
the US$17,450,000.00M to a foreign beneficiary. It is only me that has
the documents that can effect the transfer of the US$17,450,000.00M to
a foreign account.
Now that I am retired, and I know that the US$17,450,000.00M has no
foreign beneficiary, and the owner of the company that executed the
contract initially is dead and his company folded up, I want us to use
this opportunity of this agreement between the Federal Government and
the World Bank to seek for your assistance to transfer the
US$17,450,000.00M to your designated account. You are to stand as the
beneficiary of the money. I will get the relevant documents in your
favor from the various government agencies indicating that you
actually executed contract here as a sub-contractor for which you are
making claim for the transfer of US$17,450,000.00M into your account.
For been my partner/beneficiary the US$17,450,000.00M, the money will
be shared in the following proportion:
50% will be your share, 50% will be for me,
Please send to me as a matter of urgency the following:
Bank Name,
Bank Address,
Bank Account,
Name Of Beneficiary,
Bank phone, fax, and telex.

It is pertinent to inform you that I have made concrete arrangement to
transfer this US$17,450,000.00M into your account. This transaction is
100% risk free. Your area of business/specialization does not matter,
once you have account information, we shall work out everything for
you to receive the money in your account.
I am waiting for your quick response.
Contact me soon
If you are interested in the transaction or not, please do send a
private email to me on:
Email address: adr.michael@yahoo.com.hk

Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Michael Appiah

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