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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 STEPHEN Roberts <mrstephenroberts@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:21:46 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP


BUSINESS INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP
COMPLIMENT OF THE SEASON

ATTN:

I AM MR STEPHEN ROBERTS.BY NAME THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, FOREIGN
PAYMENT APPROVAL DEPT.OF WEST AFRICAN MONETARY CONTROL BOARD (WAMCB). NORTH
WEST REGIONAL OFFICE COTE D’IVOIRE.MY OFFICE HEAD ALL DEVELOPMENTAL
PROJECTS FINANCED BY THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES
(ECOWAS).IN THIS ZONE WHICH ARE (BURKINA FASO, NIGER, MALI, IVORY
COAST,GHANA AND GUINEA) WITH INTRODUCTION AND RECOMMENDATION I DO HEREBY
WISH TO COMMENCE TALK WITH YOU ON A HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL LEVEL. AFTER DUE
CONSULTATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES,

WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU IN ORDER TO ARRANGE FOR A POSSIBLE TRANSFER
OF THE SUM OF FIFTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
(US$15.500.000.00) INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THIS MONEY IS A SUBJECT OF AN OVER
INFLATED SUM ACQUIRED FROM CONTRACTS AWARDED BY MY AGENCY IN THE PAST YEARS.
THE CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN PAID AND ALL PROJECTS EXECUTED BY THEM
COMMISSIONED. THIS OVER INFLATED AMOUNT CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN LOCALLY FROM
THE PAYING BANK BECAUSE THE CONTRACTORS CONCERNED ARE FOREIGN FIRMS. AS A
MATTER OF TRUST, HONESTY AND SECRECY, WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU AS TO
ASSIST US PROVIDE AN ACCOUNT FOR THIS TRANSACTION IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED TO
ASSIST AND FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS TRANSACTION,

KINDLY FURNISH US WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION SUCH AS NAME AND YOUR FULL
ADDRESS. WITH THIS INFORMATION PROVIDED,THE SAID SUM WILL BE TRANSFER TO
YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES. THE TERMS OF SHARING THE MONEY AFTER A
SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER WILL BE DISCUSS AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST IN
ASSISTING TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY IMMEDIATELY

WE WILL THEN PRESENT EVERY DOCUMENT TO THE PAYING BANK. BE REST ASSURED
WITH OUR CONNECTIONS, EVERYTHING WILL BE THROUGH WITHIN A SHORT TIME AFTER
MANY YEARS OF METICULOUS SERVICES TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF OUR SUB
REGION WE WOULD NOT WANT OUR IMAGE TO BE DENTED THEREFORE WE EXPECT YOU TO
HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION WITH UTMOST MATURITY BY KEEPING EVERYTHING SECRET?
I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE IS NO RISK ON YOUR SIDE, BECAUSE WE HAVE PERFECTED
THE DEAL VERY WELL.
AFTER THE TRANSFER, WE WILL BE COMING OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR FURTHER
SHARING AND POSSIBLE INVESTMENTS.

I WILL BE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOURS BELOVED FRIEND.
MR STEPHEN ROBERTS

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