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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348078614555 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • hammedb@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Hammed Buber" <hammedbuber@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: hammedb@sify.com
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 03:01:09 -0800
Subject: Reply


Dr. Hammed Buber
12 Law Avenue,
Victoria - Island, Lagos.
Email: hammedb@sify.com
Tel. 234 8078614555


PERSONAL /CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Sir,

The Federal Republic of Nigeria has through the Federal Ministry of Finance
approved the sum of Twelve Million; Seven Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars (US$12,700,000.00) being balance payment in favor to late Engineer
(Name Withheld) who was involved in an author accident with his entire
family at Porthercourt Expressway in December 2007.

The late Engineer was a contractor with the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation; he was awarded a contract for supply of Oil Pipe Line,
Construction and Maintenance of 250 Million (LPG) Gas Plant at Warri
Refinery in the year 2000 at the cost of Two Hundred and Seventy Million
United States Dollars (US$270,000,000.00). He successfully completed
executing of the contract last two years and was waiting to receive his
balance contractual payment from the Federal Government of Nigeria until his
untimely death.

I am the Director, Foreign Project Payment Office of Federal Ministry of
Finance and the officer in charge for approvals of contract payments. Before
the late Engineers untimely death, I have been assisting him to get approval
and payment of his balance contract fund from the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation. It's unfortunate that his balance fund has been
approved now the Federal Ministry of Finance, while he is not alive to
receive the fund. I have been in constant contact with his personal attorney
to trace any of his family or relative for the claim of the fund to no
avail, our effort has been unsuccessful. More worrisome is that the federal
government will cancel and return back the fund into treasury account at the
end of this May 2008 as unclaimed fund.

I have make agreement with his attorney to seek assistance of a trustworthy
foreign company or an Individual who could help us to receive the money from
the paying bankk in London for investment without, any hitch as nest of kin
to the late deceased. However, we have agreed to give the company or
individual 40% of the total fund, while the balance will be for us.
Therefore, if this offer is acceptable to you, please indicate you interest
by contacting me on my private above email for further clarification and
briefing.

Yours Faithfully

Dr. Hammed Buber

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam