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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. Robert Muller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officeofrobertmuller@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2016 09:11:00 -0700
Subject: Attn: Please,

Attn:Please,
This is Agent Robert Muller from United Kingdom with United Kingdom embassy in Nigeria.
I write to inform you about the fund I found in your favor with Nigerian Government during our audit and investigation with Nigerian Banks.  We are employed by the office of the presidency Federal Republic of Nigeria under the authority of the president General Muhammadu Buhari to assist in fighting corruption and recovering looted Government funds by the unscrupulous officials of the past administration.
 
So far, we have done very well and funds have being recovered both local and international to boost the country’s economy.  Now, I am writing you in confidence to know either you will be willing to maintain absolute secrecy on this information I am passing to you this moment.
 
Whatever, I want to front you for a beneficial venture to receive the total sum of $20M into your account for our mutual benefits. I have chosen to do this with you because of the fact that your name has being established as a fund beneficiary with the Nigerian Government.
 
Meanwhile, I wish to intimate you that after thorough investigation, I was able to discover that you are not the through beneficiary of the fund in question in your name with the Nigerian Government as it was manipulated under better arrangement by some officials here in Nigeria to use your contact have their way to move this fund outside the country.  True or false?
 
Unfortunately, this fund in your name has being canceled and returned to the nations treasury among other recovered illegal floating funds. Therefore, in case you are being contacted further by anybody or office regarding that funds claim is a scam.
 
However, this $20M was stashed out from the funds we recovered during this excise and we have successfully placed this amount on a Non-Investment Account without a beneficiary with United Bank for Africa( UBA).
 
Upon your response, I will have partner an insider of the Bank to configure your name on the Central Computer database under better arrangement as the holder of the Non-Investment Account and I will then guide you on how to apply for the Account Closure/ bank-to-bank remittance of the funds to your designated bank account.
Therefore, since you have been established as one of the foreign beneficiaries  in Nigeria, it will be very easy to forward this claim in your favour as the true beneficiary and your confidential cooperation is needed to have this fund wired into your account and after that, we will share the proceeds 30% for you 60% for us and 10% to take care of expenses to be incurred during this transaction. If you concur with this proposal, reply ASAP.
Regards,
 
Mr. Robert Muller.

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