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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: "NICHOLAS GOODMAN" <nicholasgdmn@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Reply-To: nicholasgdmn@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 23:50:35 -0700
Subject: hello

FROM THE DESK OF NICHOLAS GOODMAN
47 HILTON AVENUE,
VICTORIAL ISLAND,
LAGOS NIGERIA.

Dear Friend,

I am a director in the foreign affairs department of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I got your email during a
personal research on the Internet and wish to use this opportunity to
notify you of the existence of a certain amount we wish to transfer
overseas for the purpose of investments and importation of goods from
your country.

In May 2001, a contract of sixty-six million United States dollars
($66,000,000) was awarded to a foreign company by my ministry. The
contract was supply, erection and system optimization of supper polyore
200,000-bpsd, system optimization of 280,000-monax axial plants and the
computerization of conveyor belt for Kaduna refinery. With the
consent of only the head of the contract evaluation department, I over
invoiced the contract value by thirty four million United States
dollars ($34,000,000:00).

The contract has since been completed and the foreign company fully
paid off. But, in the office files and paper work, the company is
still owed USD34M representing the over invoiced amount. Because this
amount is derived from the award and execution of a foreign contract, there
is no way the money can be paid locally. That is why I am contacting
you so that we can do the project together for our mutual benefit. We
have concluded every necessary arrangement to transfer this amount to a
foreign account as the final phase payment for the said contract. What
we need is your bank account into which we can deposit the money and
after we shall come over there to share the money with you.

We sincerely need an honest person to work with and have agreed to
share the money in the following percentages,65% will be for us who will
effect the transfer, 30% will be for you whose account is used to secure
the funds and 5% will be used to settle every expenses incured during
the transaction like air tickets etc. There is no risk involvement
because applications will be made to the concerned Federal ministries and
parastatal with official approvals given by the Federal government
before the Central bank of Nigeria will be officially authorised to wire the
funds to your norminated bank account by telegraphic transfer. Those
involved over here are directors in the ministry, they know how best to
effect the transfer and will come over there to collect their own share.

If you are interested, contact me via nicholasgdmn@hotmail.com indicating
your full names, company/business name and address. Your direct
telephone and fax numbers for effective communication. The name and address of
the bank you will like us to deposit the money, the telephone and fax
numbers of the bank, your account number etc. Everything has been
arranged and I will send more information about the business transaction to
you as soon as I hear from you. For obvious reasons, please keep the
proposal top secret and
highly confidential.

Kind regards,
NICHOLAS GOODMAN






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