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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:
- "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Mele Kyari <folashodunas@gmail.com>
Reply-To: melekkyari@aol.com
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2021 20:30:12 +0100
Subject: Joint Venture...
My Good Friend
Hope you would know the essence of my contact with you. I sincerely
promise that the deal is 100% risk-free to both sides; hence our top
powers to execute it.Well I got your contact from your country
business directory.
My names are Mele Kyari.Group Managing Director,Nigeria National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) My term of reference involves the award
of contracts to multinational companies.
My office is saddled with the responsibility of contract Award,
screening, categorization and privatization of projects embarked upon
by Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) as well as feasibility
studies for selected projects
and supervising the project consultants involved.
A breakdown of the fiscal expenditure by this office as at the end of
last fiscal quarter of 2020 indicates that (DPR) paid out a whooping
sum of US$2B (Two Billion United States Dollars) to successful local
and foreign contractors. The (DPR) is now compelling beneficiaries to
be paid for this First Quarter First Batch of the fiscal year 2021.
The crux of this letter is that the Finance/Contract Department of the
(DPR) under my instruction deliberately over-invoiced the contract
value of the various contracts Awarded. In the course of disbursements
my department has been able to accumulate the sum of $31MUSD (Thirty
One Million U.S Dollars only) as the over-invoiced
sum.
who will be fronting for us as the beneficiary of the fund? In this
way we can facilitate these funds into your nominated foreign account
for possible investment abroad. We are not allowed as a matter of
government policy to operate any foreign account to transfer this fund
into.
1. Can you handle this project?
2. Can I give you this trust?
Be informed that on completion of this Project we will use part of us
own share to invest in your country under your care.
Please note that the transfer operation will take ten working days to
be completed.
Send the requested information below so that we can
proceed further.
(1) Your Full Name:........................
(2) Your Full Contact Address:.............
(3) Your Direct Mobile Line:...............
(4) Your Private Fax No:...................
(5) Your company name if any...............
(6) Your occupation:.......................
(7) Your age:..............................
(8) Your Full Banking Details Where the funds will be transferred into.
Thanks, And Remain Blessed
Mr. Mele Kyari.
Group Managing Director
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