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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: "FRANK OSAJI" <frankosaji104@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: frank_osaji108@yahoo.co.in
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 08:35:48 +0000
Subject: PLEASE REPLY NOW

FROM THE DESK OF: ENGINEER. FRANK OSAJI
(THE ENGINEER)
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
TEL/FAX:234-802581980

ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,

MY NAME IS ENGINEER FRANK OSAJI, DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT
AWARD WITH NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC
OF NIGERIA ON LOCAL/FOREIGN CONTRACTS . IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO WRITE YOU
THIS MAIL WITH UTMOSTREGARDS/CONFIDENTIALITY.THOUGH I BELEIVE IT WILL COME
TO YOU AS A SUPRISE SINCE BOTH PARTIES HAVE NOT MET FACE TO FACE BEFORE
.PERMIT ME TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE MEDIUM IN WHICH YOU RECEIVE THIS
PROPOSAL.FUTHERMORE, THIS TRANSACTION IS ALL ABOUT AN OVER-INVOICED
CONTRACTS EXECUTED BY FOREIGN CONTRACTORS WITH THE NIGERIA GOVERMENT.NIGERIA
NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION(NNPC).AS A MATTER OF FACT, A CONTRACT WAS
AWARDED TO A FORIGN CONTRACTORS, AND AFTER EXECUTING THE CONTRACTS, WITH MY
POSSITION AS THE DIRECTOR OF CONTRACT AWARD I OVER-INVOICED THE CONTRACT SUM
TO THE TUNE OF US$20.5M(TWENTY MILLION,FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS).SEQUEL TO THIS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS FUNDS IS STILL IN THE
CENTRAL BANK OF THE NIGERIA
GOVERNMENT,
I WANT THIS FUNDS TO BE TRANSFERED TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR OUR OWN USE.I
WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE HAS LAID DOWN ARRANGEMENTS, WE
WILL HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF THIS FUNDS TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK
ACCOUNT.THIS MONEY HAS BEEN IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA FOR TWO YEARS
NOW, AND IT IS UNDER THE LAW OF NIGERIA GOVERNMENT THAT ANY MONEY IN THE
CENTRAL BANK FOR THREE YEARS WILL BE RETRIEVED BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNT.IT MAY ALSO INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT ALL MODALITIES HAS BEEN PUT IN
PLACE FOR THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.
AS SOON AS ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS ARE SECURE IN YOUR NAME/FAVOUR AS THE
BONIFIDE BENEFICIARY OF THE SAID FUNDS.AS CIVIL SERVANT,I CANNOT CLAIM THIS
MONEY,SINCE I AM STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICEWITH MY GOVERNMENT,HENCE I CONTACT
YOU.AS FOR THE SHARING MODALITIES,I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH MY COLLEAGUES,WHICH
WE CAME UP THUS:
1.30% FOR YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER.
2.70% FOR I AND MY COLLEAGUE
I WILL QUICKLY REMIND YOU OF THE CONFIDENTLAITY THIS TRANSACTION DEMANDS.IT
WILL BE FOR THE NOTICE OF TWO OF US ONLY,UNTILL THE TRANSACTION IS FULLY
CONCLUDED. AND I WILL KINDLY APPRECIATE TO RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE RESPONSE
IN REGARDS TO THIS PROPOSAL WITH DUE RESPECT.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
ENGR. FRANK OSAJI.


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