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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. j. sally williams" <dr.j.sallywilliams@nnpc.com.ng>
Reply-To: dr.j.sallywilliams@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2017 08:18:04 -0700
Subject: Privilegded and Confidential.
Here I brought a potential business proposal at your door step for consideration. My name is Dr. .J. Sally Williams debt management officer as well as the chairman of the contract award committee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( N.N.P.C ).
My colleaugues and I have a total sum of USD5.5 million we want to move out of the country. This sum was gotten from over inflated contract and procurement of oil rigs system optimization and installation of oil pipe line for the agency.
This Contract was awarded in 2010 to an Expertriate company with a special understanding and agreement. The contract has been executed and commissioned while the company has been paid their full contract sum, remain the inflated cost which is now fully secured and save.
We can not be able to claim this fund by ourselfs owing to our positions in the Government as our civil service rules forbid us from owing or operating domiciliary accounts. We now want a foreign business partner that can claim and invest this fund for us in a profitable venture for our collective benefit. If you want to partner with us kindly reply this mail with your communication details for more information.
Thanks.
Regards,
Dr. J.S. Williams.
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Anti-fraud resources:
