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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: "Mike Balami" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mike222.bala@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 13:19:06 +0300
Subject: DEAR FRIEND

NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (F.M.P.R),
NEW FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, SHEHU SHAGARI WAY, ABUJA.
LAGOS ANNEX OFFICE, LAGOS-NIGERIA.
Tel: +2348027984450
Email: mike222.bala@gmail.com
 
DEAR Sir/Madam
 
               REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE- STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
 
I am Mr. Mike Balami General Manager Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation (N.N.P.C) and also an Accountant with Federal Ministry of
petroleum Resources (FMPR) and a member of a three-man Tender Board in charge of contract review and payment approvals. I came to know of you in my search for a reliable person to handle a very confidential transaction that involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account. It may sound strange but exercise patience and read on.
 
There were series of contracts executed by a consortium Multinational in the Oil industry in favor of Ministry of Petroleum
Resources among which was:
 
1. The extension of pipeline network within Nigeria for crude oil,
downstream products distribution and subsequent evacuation- US$ 195
Million.
 
2.Contract for the Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the various
refineries in the country~ US$ 152Million.
 
3. The construction of the Kaduna Refinery, some contractors were
paid, while some have not been paid by the Nigerian Government. Few
days ago, the president of the federal republic of Nigeria called to
the Aso-Rock Villa Abuja, where we held a meeting concerning the
contractors that have not been paid their contract payments, after the
meeting, the president then Appointed me to be in charge of the person
who will be short listing the names of the contractors that have not
received their contract payments and submit the list to him for
necessary approval.
 
Why I am writing you this mail, is for us to do a deal, I will be
approving the sum of USD$35.5Million in your name, I want you to act
as one of the contractors owned by the Nigerian Government, I will
include your name in the list of the file to be submitted to the
presidency for approval and I am prepared to give you 30% of the total
sum after this money has been transferred to your bank account.
 
Sir/Madam, if you are willing to do this deal with me, kindly contact
me via the above telephone numbers Tel: +2348027984450 then I will now tell you the next step that we are going to follow and what you will be required to send to enable me start immediate procurement of all the necessary paperwork/Approvals to back up the claim of the USD$35.5M in your favor.
 
Please dont fail to include your private contact details,including your Direct Telephone Number(MOBILE). Please destroy this letter, if you are not willing to do this deal with me. I will be investing my own share of the money through your guide lines in your country or if you have a company, I will prefer to go into partnership with you after the successful conclusion of the transaction.
 
Kindly please treat this issue with utmost confidentiality if you are willing to execute this deal with me, after all the documentations, We intend to
conclude the transaction within the next 14 banking days. There is no
risk involved on the transaction it will be conducted under a legitimate legal arrangement which will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
Have a wonderful Day.
 
Thank you.
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
Mr. Mike Balami
 
 
(FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES, NNPC)

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