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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: "yusuf usman" <mryusman2002@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrusman_2003@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 12:39:06 +0000
Subject: INVESTMEN

NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
OSBORNE/KINGSWAY ROAD OFFICE COMPLEX
IKOYI, LAGOS
REQUEST FOR MUTUAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND, PERMIT ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. I AM ENGR. Yusuf Usman
ONE OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION
[NNPC].
IT IS TRUE WE HAVE NOT MET BEFORE BUT I GOT YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS
THROUGH
A RELIABLE SOURCE WHO ASSURED ME OFYOUR SINCERE HONESTY AND
TRUSTWORTHINESS,
THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU WITH A BUSINESS PROPOSAL THAT WILL
BE OF MUTUAL BENEFIT TO ALL OF US.
IN 1998, MY CORPORATION [NNPC], AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR A CONSTRUCTION
AND
INSTALLATION OF OIL STORAGE TANKS AND OTHER HIGH-TECH PETROLEUM
REFINING
EQUIPMENTS AT THREE OF THE NIGERIAN REFINERIES AT PORTHARCOURT,WARRI
AND
KADUNA. THE VALUE OF THE CONTACT WAS $180 MILLION, HOWEVER MYSELF AND
SOME
TOP OFFICIALS OF THE NNPC USED OUR POSTION TO INFLAT THIS CONTRACT TO
THE
TUNE OF $222 MILLION, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT
WAS
THE TIME OF THE MILITARY REGIME, BEFORE THE CURRENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT
CAME INTO POWER IN THE YEAR 1999.
THIS CONTRACT WAS APPROVED AND THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS HAS SUCCESFULLY
EXECUTED THE CONTRACT AND HAS RECIEVED THE DUE CONTRACT SUM OF $180
MILLION
UNDER CONTRACT NUMBER NNPC/PED/018/ALL-REF/98, LEAVING OUT THE OVER
INFLATED
SURPLUS OF $42 MILLION, WHICH IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO ANY
FOREIGN
ACCOUNT WE MAY PRESENT FOR THE PURPOSE.
MY DEAR, YOU MAY WONDER WHY WE COULD NOT OPEN A FOREIGN ACCOUNT
OURSELVES,
THE REASON IS BECAUSE IT IS AGAINST THE WORKING ETHICS, REGULATIONS AND
LAW OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA FOR ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHOM
IS STILL SERVING, TO OPEN AND OPERATE OFFSHORE/FOREIGN ACCOUNT. THIS IS
WHY I NEEDED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE US WITH A GOOD COMPANY
OR
PRIVATE ACCOUNT WHERE THE FUND WILL BE REMITTED INTO BEFORE WE SHARE.
FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER WE HAVE AGREED 25%, 5% FOR LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL
EXPENSES/LOGISTICS. AND 70% FOR OURSELVES. FURTHER MORE, YOU SHALL
ASSIST
US TO INVEST PART OF OWN SHARE OF THE MONEY INTO LUCRATIVE BUSINESS
INVESTMENTS
AND IN VIABLE COMPANIES WITH GOOD SHARES FOR PERIOD OF TIME AS THIS
WILL
BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY UNTIL WE RETIRE IN 5 YEARS TIME.
DEAR, SHOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN THIS BUSINESS VENTURE, THEN
KINDLY CONTACT ME THROUGH MY E-MAIL ADDRESS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU
WITH
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.WE ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK
FREE, AS WE HAVE DONE OUR HOMEWORK VERY WELL TO ENSURE THAT THE
NECESSARY
LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE WELL PROCESSED FOR THE REMITTANCE OF THIS FUND INTO
A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD
TO YOUR PROMPT REPLY TO THIS LETTER. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REPLY ME WITH
THIS
E-MAIL
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
ENGR. Yusuf Usman.


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