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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: "ABEL IBUDE GUOBADIA" <abel_ig@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: abel_9815@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 05:07:18 -0800
Subject: LETTER FROM MR ABEL/ ACKNOWLEDGE PLEASE.

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS,
ZAMBEZI CRESENT, MAITAMA DISTRRICT.
P.M.B 0184 GARKI ABUJA,
FEDERA CAPITAL TERRITORY,NIGERIA

DEAR FRIEND

I GUESS THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU.

I AM THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN OF INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL
COMMISSION (INEC) I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN THE COURSE OF MY SEARCH FOR A
RELIABLE PERSON WITH WHOM TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION
INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF FUND VALUED THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS($30M) TO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS, DRUGS OR MONEY
LAUNDERING. IT IS THE PRODUCT OF OVER INVOICE ON CONTRACT AWARDED IN JANUARY
2003 BY INEC, TO A FOREIGN COMPANY FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS
THAT WAS USED FOR CONDUCTING APRIL/MAY, 2003 ELECTIONS.

THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXECUTED AND PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT
MADE TO THE FOREIGN CONTRACTOR LEAVING THE BALANCE OF $30M U.S DOLLARS IN A
DORMANT ACCOUNT WHICH MY COLLEAGUES AND I NOW WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF
NIGERIA INTO A RELIABLE FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR OUR PERSONAL USE.

AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FOREIGN ACCOUNT MACHINERY TO
SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION. THERFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO
SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS THE ORIGINAL
BENEFICIARY OF THE CONTRACT.

MY DEAR, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ENDORSED THE RESOLUTION
PASSED BY THE SENATE THAT ALL FOREIGN CONTRACTORS OWED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA SHOULD BE PAID, WE WILL SEIZE THIS GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO
PURPORT YOU AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES TO BE PAID.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL KINDLY EMAIL TO ME YOUR LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS, BUT IF YOU
CANNOT FOR ANY REASON HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU
CAN INTRODUCE IT TO A RELIABLE AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON IN WHICH IN ANY CASE
YOUR INTEREST WILL BE PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF.

MEANWHILE, MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE DECIDED TO SHARE THE MONEY IN THE
FOLLOWING RATIO: 70% FOR MY COLLLEAGUES AND I, THEN 25% FOR YOU THE
ACCOUNT OWNER AND 5% FOR ALL LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE
IN THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION. FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION
WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE SUBSEQUENT CORRESPONDENCE.

THIS TRANSACTION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BUT 100% RISK FREE. NOTE ALSO THAT
THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS IS IRRELEVANT TO THIS TRANSACTION AND
THIS TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 15 WORKING DAYS SINCE
ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY PERFECTED FOR A
SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION.


IF THIS PROPOSAL IS ACCEPTABLE BY YOU, PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR INTEREST VIA THIS
EMAIL ADDRESS: abel_9815@hotmail.com.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

SIR ABEL IBUDE GUOBADIA


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