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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: MINISTRY OF AVIATION <globalwest2015@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ladonald2017@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2015 07:53:05 -0800
Subject: Re: This letter is personally for you.

Hello dear,

I hope this mail will reach you in the best of health and business
conditions and receive the most desired attention from you even as we
have not had any previous correspondence before.

I am constrained by insufficient information about you to express in
full the main objectives of this proposal. However, kindly get back to
me immediately for details should be given you if you agree to its
content.I am Dr. Labi Donald, Principal Accountant with Federal Ministry
of Aviation, Abuja, Nigeria. I am also the chairman of contract award
committee in this same Aviation industry. My colleagues and I put ideas
together and decided to look for a foreign national who would assist us
to receive the sum of US$23.8 million to be shared for our own use.
Importantly, be informed that this sum originated from a capital project
my Aviation Ministry initially contracted to a foreign firm in 2005. The
contract in question had since been executed and the main contract sum
had been paid to the contractors while the above sum is being considered
and treated on our accounting records as amount outstanding (due
unpaid). Only my colleagues and I are aware of the origin of this money.
We therefore decided to transfer it abroad since we can not withdraw it
here in Nigeria. Recently the board of directors have recommended that
this sum be paid this quarter and that is why we want to use your name
with bank particulars to wire the money into your bank account.

My dear, on behalf of my colleagues, we look forward in receiving your
acceptance reply. Please reply me through this my private email address:
I thank you for your acceptance in advance.

God bless you.

Dr. Labi Donald.
Principal Accountant.
Federal Ministry of Aviation

Anti-fraud resources: