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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Okoye Vincent" <okoyevin1@msn.com>
Reply-To: okoye@volcanomail.com
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 03:16:55 +0000
Subject: URGENT HELP

URGENT HELP

SIR,

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS TRANSACTION

AFTER A DISCREET BUT THOROUGH NVESTIGATION AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE OF THE
NIGERIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE,WE WRITE WITH ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN THE
LEGALITY OF YOUR COMPANY AND THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR PERSON. ESSENTIALLY
THE BUSINESS WE ARE ABOUT TO COMMENCE IS FUNDANMENTALLY BASED ON SHEER
TRUST AND SENSE OF PURPOSE.

FOR SUCCINCT INTRODUCTION, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CONTRACT REVIEWING
PANEL (CRP) OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT) ABUJA, OUR STATUS
RANKS FROM MINISTERIAL POST DOWN TO DIRECTORS GENERAL. THE SETTING UP OF
OUR COMMITTEE IS NECESSITATED BY THE FLAWS AND BLATANT ABUSE OF THE LAST
MILITARY REGIME WHICH AWARDED CONTRACTS AT INCREDIBLY INFLATED COST.
THROUGH TENACIOUS EFFORT AND WELL-EXPANDED ENERGY AND EXPERIENCE, WE
WERE ABLE TO RECTIFY THESE FLAWS AND TO PAY THE CONTRACTORS THEIR RIGHTFUL
DUES.
AT THE END OF THESE ARDUOUS EXERCISE THE SUM OF TWENTY FIVE MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY (US$25.5M) WAS LEFT IN A SUSPENCE
ACCOUNT AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) DUE TO THE INITIAL INFLATED
COSTS.TO GET OUR ENTITLED PAYMENT FOR THIS SPECIAL PROJECT THE
COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM BE DISBURSED
AMONG
MEMBERS EQUITABLY THIS PRECISELY IS WHY WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE SINCE
THIS MONEY HAS TO BE PAID INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT FROM C.B.N. WE SOLICIT
YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH AN UNFLINCHING FAITH THAT YOU WOULD NOT BETRAY US.

SHARE:
WITH YOUR ABILITY TO ASSIST IN THE TRANSFER, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO 20%, I
AND MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE 75%,WHILE THE REMAINING 5% IS TO TAKE CARE
OF ALL INCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURED BY BOTH PARTIES DURING
THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION.

MODUS OPERANDUM:

TO ENABLE US PUT UP CLAIMS AND INVOICE FOR THE PAYMENT INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT, WE REQUIRE THE FOLLOWINGS: YOUR BANKING PARTICULARS, THE NAME OF
YOUR BANK, YOUR BANK ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX AND ACCOUNT NUMBER; YOUR PRIVATE
PHONE AND FAX NUMBER TO REACH YOU DURING AND AFTER
BUSINESS HOURS.

THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USED FOR JOB DESCRIPTION AND FOLLOWS UP
LETTER OF CLAIMS THROUGH NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORP0RATION TO THE
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE FOR ONWARD DESPATCH AND APPROVAL. IT WILL
INTEREST YOU TO NOTE THAT THE TRANSFER WILL COMMENCE AND BE COMPLETED
WITHIN SEVEN BANK UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE BANKING INFORMATION.

ENDAEVOUR TO KEEP IT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE WE ARE CIVIL
SERVANTS SERVING THE PRESENT DEMOCRACTICALLY GOVERNMENT OF OUR DEAR
NATION.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

MR OKOYE VINCENT.


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