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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: "Fred Willians" <fredwillians1@msn.com>
Reply-To: fred_willians@myway.com
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:43:48 +0000
Subject: Business partner

NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION .
FROM ENGINEER FRED WILLIANS

Dear Sir, I wish to acknowledge and recognize your importance in this
business transaction which will take us only one week. I am a member of
contract awarding committee which I was the chairman. A contract was
awarded
to foreign company to lay pipes from Port-Harcourt to Warri refineries
which
was awarded in the year 2000, the contract was 60 million United State
dollars but been a contract awarding committee chairman I over inflated
it
to the tone of 90 million United State Dollars, the work have been
completed
and the company have been paid by Nigeria National Petroleum
Cooperation and
they have gone, what is left now is 30 million United State Dollars
which
was kept in one of the Finance/Security Company set up by the Federal
Government that is in charge of paying foreign contractors.
I need your assistance to assist me conclude this golden opportunity
and to
secure the fund into your possession, because being the chairman, I
cannot
do it alone without the help of a foreigner who will stand as the
contractor
who executed the job. So furnish me with the following particulars for
me to
perfect the remmittance of this fund to your posession. 1, YOUR FULL
NAMES.
2,YOUR COMPANY NAME (IF ANY) 3, YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 4, YOUR
PRIVATE
PHONE/FAX NUMBERS. Please you should keep the business very secret and
confidential to yourself, do not tell anybody even your wife or your
children till the money gets to your account, then I will join you in
your
country for a meeting and subsequent, introduce me into a profitable
business where I will invest my own share of the fund. I have set aside
100%
to be shared between me and you. I being the contract awarding
committee
chairman, I will get 50%, you that is assisting me will get 40% then
10%
will be shared between both parties for any expenses we may meet on the
way
during the transaction. Please keep it very secret and confidential to
yourself.
Awaiting your urgent response for us to proceed.
Best regards,
Engr.FRED WILLIANS


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