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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: "OSCAR OLABODE" <mar_osc002@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:59:43 +0000
Subject: oscar

FROM: Oscar M. Olabode
Tel/Fax: 234-80-26437898
Lagos - Nigeria.
E-mail address: mar_osc@primposta.com

Attn: President/Ceo.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL PROPOSAL RE: TRANSFER OF US$21.5 MILLION
(TWENTY ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY).
I am contacting you based on information and esteem recommendation. I
received of you from a high ranking official in the commercial section of
the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce and Industry who guaranteed your
reliability and trustworthiness in business dealings.

This business proposal I wish to intimate you with is of mutual benefit and
its success is entirely based on mutual trust, cooperation and a high level
of confidentiality as regard this transaction. I am the Chairman of the
contract Award/Advisory Committee (CAAC) of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC). I am seeking your assistance to enable me transfer the
sum of US$21,500,000.00 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars) into your private/company account.

The fund came about as a result of a contract awarded and executed on behalf
of my Ministry the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation. In the course of
negotiation, the contract was awarded to a Bulgarian contractor at the cost
of US$43,500,000.00 (Forty-Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars only) and was over-invoiced to the tune of US$65,000,000.00
(Sixty-five Million United States Dollars) to my benefit unknown to the
contractor.

This contract has been satisfactorily executed and inspected as the
Bulgarian firm is presently securing payment from my Ministry, where I am
the Executive Director in-charge of all foreign contract payment approval.
As a civil servant still in active government service, I am forbidden by law
to operate an account outside the shores of Nigeria. Hence this message to
you seeking your assistance so as to enable me present your private/company
account details as a beneficiary of contractual claims alongside that of the
Bulgarian contractor, to enable me transfer the difference of
US$21,500,000.00 (Twenty One Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars) into your provided account.

On actualization, the fund will be disbursed as stated below.
1. 20% of the fund will be for you as beneficiary
2. 5% for reimbursement to both parties for incidental expenses that may be
incurred during the course of the transaction.
3. 75% of the fund will be for me and my colleagues who we intend to invest
in your country with you as my partner.

I have strong reliable connections and contacts at the Central Bank of
Nigeria, as the newly appointed governor of the Central bank of Nigeria
(Prof. Charles Soludo) is a bosom friend of mine. I have no doubt that all
the money will be released and transferred if I get the necessary foreign
partner to assist us in this deal. Therefore, when the business is
successfully concluded we shall through my same connections withdraw all
documents used from all the concerned Government Ministries for 100%
security.

I would require the following: -
1. Your company's name, address, telephone and fax numbers.
2. Your bank name, bank address and account details where the money will be
remitted.

The requested information would be used to make formal application as a
matter of procedure to the Central bank of Nigeria for the release and
onward remittance of the money to your account via telegraphic transfer
(T.T.). It does not matter whether or not your company does contract
projects of this nature described here. The assumption is that your company
won the major contract and subcontracted it out to other companies. More
Often than not, big trading companies or firms of unrelated fields win major
contracts and subcontracts to more specialized firms for execution of such
contracts.

All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for a smooth
actualization of the remittance within the next few working days of
commencement. For further details, Please contact me immediately if you are
interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me scout for another
foreign partner to carry out this deal. But where you are interested, send
the requested information aforementioned herein either through my above
tel/fax line or my confidential E-mail address: mar_osc@primposta.com, as
time is of the essence in this business.
I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
Oscar M. Olabode.


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