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: "EDWARD FRANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edwardfrank351@yahoo.pt>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2016 11:01:47 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY


ATTN: CATEGORY “A” CLIENT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA

After waiting to hear from you or your Partners who introduced you into this transaction for a long time now, i decided to make this direct approach today being the 4th of February, 2016 just to let you know that i have nothing in mind against you. Have for once had a re-think by asking yourself thus-:

Why is it that since you were introduced into this transaction, nothing has happened? Instead you have been going round in circles without getting to the bottom of it.
Why each time the release of these fund is approved, it’s either the payment will be stopped or one problem or the other will come up. There is never a stop to the request and demand.
If you’ve never asked yourself these questions, this is an opportunity for me to break everything in details so you don’t get misinformed.

Some time ago the people that introduced you to the project approached me with a mouthwatering offer. The requested that i assist them with my portfolio to tidy without trace a money transfer deal they had with you. They requested me to assist them by positioning in your name as the Original Beneficiary of the funds in question in order to make you appear as the rightful beneficiary of the said fund. I agreed on condition that they will pay me US$525,000 as soon as your name appears as the beneficiary. I did as agreed and demanded to be paid but your friends started telling me stories. They even told me that you promised to send fund across to me but none of their stories came out to be true. Do you know that up till now, I have not received a single cent from them nor set my eyes on any of them?

Based on their attitude and having being appointed as the CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT, i decided to stop the release of the funds through a strong worded petition to the Office of the President of Nigeria himself because i cannot be denied of my right in my own Office considering the risk i took without minding my job was on the line if i eventually get caught in the act. Secondly, i know personally that you are not the rightful beneficiary of the funds in question. I am the only person privileged to know this information and it is a fact. Why I am making this clear to you is that I can see that you are still making efforts; spending money in order to conclude this project. Now, I am ready to forget the past, I do not need the US$525,000 any longer from you or your so called partners but a share of 35% of the total sum. I need your assurance that those your colleagues or any Government Official will be totally kept out of this transaction, I know that none of them is awar
e of this development after tryin

Lastly, I want you to re-assure me that you will be willing to offer me the 35% of the fund that you will assist establish a foreign account in your country where my share will be lodged. You can contact me immediately on this email: edward.frank90@yahoo.com, to enable me furnish you with detailed information on what you are to do from now on. But if the reverse is the case, do not bother yourself to reach me.

Respectfully yours (MR. EDWARD FRANK)
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources: