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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: "Ibrahim Tanko" <ibrahimtanko22@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 20:28:20 +0000
Subject: Pls Respond ASAP


DEAR FRIEND,

I GUESS THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS SURPRISE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU.I AM THE CHAIRMAN TENDER BOARD 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 SUM OF$30,000.000 D0LLARS (THIRTY MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS) INTO YOUR PRIVATE ACCOUNT FOR SAFE KEEPING .

THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS,DRUGS OR MONEY
LAUNDERING IT IS THE PRODUCT OF AN OVER INVOICE ON CONTRACT AWARDED IN THE
YEAR 2003 BY INEC TO A FOREIGN COMPANY FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS
THAT WAS USED FOR CONDUCTING THE 2003 ELECTION.THE CONTRACT HAS LONG BEEN
EXECUTED AND PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT HAS BEEN PAID TO THE
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR LEAVING THE BALANCE OF US30 MILLION,DOLLARS IN A DORMANT
ACCOUNT, WHICH MY COLLEAGUES AND I NOW WANT TO TRANSFE R 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 THEREFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO
SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY OR AN INDIVIDUAL WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS
THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OR THE CONTRACTOR.MY DEAR, IT IS A GOOD THING 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 SURPORT YOU AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES
TO BE PAID.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE PROPOSAL KINDLY GET BACK TO ME BY SENDING ME
YOUR LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS,
BUT IF YOU CANNOT FOR ANY REASON TO HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION I SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE IT TO 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: 60%
FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND I, THEN 30% FOR YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER AND 5% FOR ALL
LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE COURSE OF THIS
TRANSACTION; 5% WILL GO TO THE MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME.

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 21
WORKING DAYS SINCE ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY
PERFECTED FOR A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION.

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A PASSWORD FOR THIS TRANSACTION,WHICH IS (OMEGA). ON
RECEIPT OF YOUR CALL (RESPONSE)YOU SHOULD ASK FOR THE PASSWORD AND ANY
FAILURE TO ANSWER CORRECTLY (OMEGA), PLEASE DISCONTINUE ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION OR INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF AND THE TRANSACTION. AND ONLY THE
PASSWORD (OMEGA) ALLOWS YOU TO TALK OR DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION.PLEASE
CONTACT ME ON THIS EMAIL:IBRAHIMTANKO22@MSN.COM.

WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

IBRAHIM TANKO


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