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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • barr_ahmedokoro@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Ahmed Okoro" <barr_ahmedokoro@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 23:37:28 +0000
Subject: REPLY URGENT

BARRISTER AHMED OKORO CHEMBER.
CHAIRMAN,
CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE,

DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THAT THIS PROPOSAL MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE,
ESPECIALY HAVING TO COME FROM SOMEONE YOU HAVE NOT MET BEFORE, BUT I
WOULD
LIKE YOU TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME SO THAT THIS $40M USD WILL BE RELEASED
AND
TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

MY NAME IS BARR.AHME DOKORO , THE CHAIRMAN OF CONTRACT AWARD
COMMITTEE
OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (N.N.P.C).

IT IS MY PROFOUND INTENTION TO CONTACT YOU FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT AND
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION FOR TRANSFER OF $40M USD INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT .

THE $40M USD WAS THE OVER ESTIMATED BALLANCE FROM THE CONTRACTS AWARDED
TO
BOTH FOREIGN AND LOCAL CONTRACTORS.

THE REAL CONTRACT VALUE WAS $170 MILLION DOLLARS BUT IT WAS OVER
ESTIMATED
TO $210 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULY EXECUTED BY THE CONTRACTORS AND THEIR
CONTRACT SUM ($170M) HAS BEEN PAID TO THEM, LEAVING OUR OVER ESTIMATED
BALLANCE OF $40 MILLION DOLLARS STILL PENDING AT THE BANK.

RIGHT NOW,WE ARE LEFT WITH THIS OVER ESTIMATED BALLANCE($40M) WHICH IS
STILL
FLOATING AT THE PAYING BANK AWAITING FINAL PAYMENT TO ANY RELIABLE
FOREIGN
BANK ACCOUNT YOU MAY PROVIDE.

WE ARE THEREFORE ASKING YOU TO CO-OPERATE WITH US SO THAT THE FUND WILL
BE
RELEASED AND TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

WHEN THE FUNDS IS TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU WILL BENEFIT 30%
OF THE
TOTAL AMOUNT.

IN THIS REGARD,WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEND ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS:

YOUR NAME:-----------------------------

YOUR OCCUPATION:-----------------------------

YOUR ADDRESS:-----------------------------

YOUR PRIVATE PHONE / FAX NUMBERS:-----------


YOUR BANKING DETAILS.--------------------------


YOUR REPLY AND INFORMATION REQUIRED SHOULD BE URGENT SO THAT WE WILL
SUBMIT
APPLICATION TO THE PAYING BANK FOR TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT.

I AM EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST.

FINALLY, FEELS FREE ONCE AGAIN TO CONTACT ME CONFIDENTIALY.
REPLY MY MAIL TO< barr_ahmedokoro@yahoo.com>



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam