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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "idioma" <isa_frank20@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:38:28 -0700
Subject: good day

Phone(24 hours)
reply to

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Sir,

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
RE: TRANSFER OF US$28.6 AMERICAN DOLLARS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT

AFTER DUE DELIBERATION WITH MY COLLEAGUE, I DECIDED TO FORWARD TO YOU
THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL, WE WANT YOU TO ASSIST US RECEIVE THE SUM OF
TWENTY
EIGHT MILLION, SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$28.6M)
INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT.

THIS FUND RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED CONTRACT AWARDED BY US UNDER
THE BUDGET ALLOCATION TO MY MINISTRY AND THE BILL WAS APPROVED FOR
PAYMENT
BY THE CONCERNED MINISTRIES. THE CONTRACT WAS EXECUTED, COMMISSIONED
AND
THE CONTRACTOR WAS PAID HIS ACTUAL COST OF THE CONTRACT. WE ARE LEFT
WITH
THE BALANCE OF US$28.6M AS THE OVER INVOICED AMOUNT WHICH WE HAVE
DELIBERATELY OVER ESTIMATED FOR OUR OWN USE BUT UNDER THE PROTOCOL
DIVISION,
CIVIL SERVANTS ARE FORBIDDEN TO OPERATE OR OWN FOREIGN ACCOUNTS. THIS
IS
WHY, I CONTACT YOU FOR AN ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE
MONEY AS
FOLLOWS:

1. 30% FOR YOU (ACCOUNT OWNER)
2. 60% FOR US
3. 10% FOR TAX, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY YOUR GOVERNMENT.

AS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW AND TO MAKE YOU LESS CURIOUS, I GOT YOUR
ADDRESS FROM OUR REPUTABLE SOURCE WHICH WE WISH TO KEEP SECRET FOR
SECURITY
REASONS.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE OF THE
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC). THIS TRANSACTION IS
VERY
MUCH FREE FROM ALL SORT OF RISK HENCE THE BUSINESS WAS CAREFULLY
PLANNED
BEFORE IT WAS EXECUTED AND WE THE NNPC OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE DEAL
HAVE
PUT MANY YEARS IN SERVICES TO OUR MINISTRY. WE HAVE BEEN EXERCISING
PATIENCE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR SO LONG AND TO MOST OF US, THIS IS A
LIFE
TIME OPPORTUNITY WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS.

UPON INDICATION OF YOUR INTEREST TO FULLY ASSIST USIN THISTRANSACTION,
YOU
ARE ADVISED TO FURNISH US WITH THE FOLLOWINGS:-

1. YOUR BANKER'S NAME AND ADDRESS
2. YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER
3. NAME OF THE BENEFICIARY OF THE ACCOUNT
4. YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION


THIS INFORMATION WILL ENABLE US SEEK APPROVAL OF THE FUND FROM THE
CONCERNED GOVERNMENT QUARTERS/MINISTRIES WITHIN 3-4 BANKING DAYS AND
THE NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) PAYMENT
APPLICA-TION/INFORMATION DATA WILL BE FAXED IMMEDIATELY TO YOU FOR
COMPLETION. ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I INVOLVED IN THIS DEAL WILL COME
OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO ARRANGE FOR OUR OWN SHARE UPON CONFIRMATION
FROM YOU
THAT THE MONEY HAS HIT YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.

YOU ARE ADVISED NOT TO GO THROUGH INTERNATIONAL OPERATOR BECAUSE OF THE
CONFIDENTIALITY AND SENSITIVITY INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSACTION. LET
HONESTY AND TRUST BE OUR WATCHWORD THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSACTION.
I
SHALLFURNISH YOU WITH SOME DETAILS ABOUT MYSELF. YOUR PROMPT REPLY
WILL BE
HIGHLY APPRECIATED

PLEASE NOTE OUR COMMUNICATION CODE: 'IF YOUR CALL, YOU MUST ASK ME WHAT
ISTHE NAME OF YOUR SON, MY ANSWER IS: MY SON'S NAME IS DR. SMART. IF I
DON'T ANSWER WITHIN TWO SECONDS DROP THE PHONE AND CALL RIGHT BACK.'

BEST REGARDS.
IDIOMA ST.MICHAEL ADAMS.



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