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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • xtopherjuly257@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: xtopherjuly@seznam.cz
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:32:05 +0100 (CET)
Subject: =?us-ascii?Q?HAPPY=20NEW=20YEAR?=

FROM: Mr.Christopher Martins
Chairman of Foreign Contract Tender Board Committee
Lagos - Nigeria
ALT.-Email:xtopherjuly257@yahoo.co.uk
I am Mr.Christopher Martins, chairman of Foreign Contract Tender
Board Committee whose responsibility is to award and supervise
foreign contract to ensure it is executed properly.

Consequently, I the chairman of the tender board committee in
collaboration with two other top committee members over-invoice certain contract
for the supply of electoral equipments used for the elections of May/June
2007 initial cost of the contract was pegged at Two Hundred and
fifty Million United States Dollars (US$250M) after the feasibility
study.
While submitting my report to the office of the presidency for final
approval, we deliberately inflated the cost to an excess amount of
Thirty Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$30.5M)
making the
cost to be Two Hundred and Eighty Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars (US$280.5M). These said funds are lying unclaimed in my
organization's suspense account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Be informed that
the contract has been fully executed and the contractors have been
paid off.

We are therefore seeking your assistance and permission to remit
this amount Into your account. Your commission will be 20% of the total sum, 10%
has been set aside for any expenses incurred during the course of
transaction and the balance of 70% is for my colleagues and I.
My colleagues and I have decided that if you/your Company can stand
as the beneficiary of these funds on our behalf, you/your company
will retain 20% of the total amount (US$30.5Million) while 70% will be for us (officials) and the
remaining 10% will be used in offsetting all debts/expenses incurred
during this transfer. We have decided that this transaction can only proceed under the
following condition.

(a) Our conviction of your transparent honesty and that you treat
this transaction with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.
(b) That upon Receipt of the funds you will release the funds as
Instructed by us after you've removed your share of 20%.
I will bring you into the complete picture of this transaction when
I've heard from you. Your urgent response will be highly appreciated as we are already
behind schedule. Please do be informed that this business transaction is
100% legal and completely free from drug or money laundering.
Only trust can make the reality of this transaction.

Best regards,
Mr.Christopher Martins
ALT.-Email:xtopherjuly257@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam