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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "benson ugbo" <benson1ugbo@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: john1chukwu@walla.com
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 09:21:23 +0000
Subject: REPLY.

>From Engineer Benson Ugbo
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC),
P.o. Box 256 wuse 2 Abuja,
Nigeria.

Attn: Please
I am Engr. Benson Ugbo, The Director of
Contract Award and Review Department with the
Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I am
contacting you on this business of transferring the
sum of US$23,615,000.00 (Twenty-three million, six
hundred and fifteen thousand United Stated Dollars
only) into a safe foreign account and the need is very
urgent. I got your contact from the internet when i
was searching for honest person who will assist me to
receive the money into his bank account and it is with
business trust that made me to contact you on this
matter. I write to solicit for the transfer of this
money into your account.

This money was generated from an over invoiced
contract sum in my corporation (NNPC).
I am contacting you for your help and partnership for
the following two reasons:
1. As a civil servant, I am not permitted to own
foreign accounts due to civil service code of conduct.
2. My present financial resources as a civil servant
will not be sufficient for me to handle the transfer
alone successfully without financial assistance from a
reliable foreign partner abroad. 20% of this sum would
be for you as compensation for using your Bank account
in transferring this money, 5% would be used to
reimburse the expenses made by both parties during the
processing of the transferring which include,
telephone bills, traveling expenses and fees. While
75% is for me.

Please note that I will arrange to meet with you
immediately after the successful conclusion of the
transfer, the 75% share of mine will be used for
investment overseas. Your assistance and co-operation
is highly needed. I assure you that this transaction
is 100% risk free. If you are interested I will
require your banking information as
mentioned below:

1. Name to be used as beneficiary
2. Your private and confidential telephone/fax
number(s).
3. Your bank name and address, your bank telephone and
fax number(s).
4. Or if you are not comfortable with providing your
existing account, you can within the shortest possible
time, confidentially open an entirely new (Virgin)
account for the transaction. I would prefer this
arrangement. I hope to conclude this business within
the next fourteen (14) working days. Looking forward
to your anticipated and urgent positive response via
this e-mail box.

Regards,

Eng Benson Ugbo.


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