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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: Abraham Patrick <ab1patrick@aim.com>
Reply-To: abrahamp_@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2006 12:47:50 +0200
Subject: Greetings from Abraham


66 PLANTATION DRIVE,
VICTORIA ISLAND
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
Dear Friend,
I am a director in the foreign affairs department of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I got your email during a
Personal research on the Internet and wish to use this opportunity to
notify you of the existence of a certain amount we wish to transfer
Overseas for the purpose of investments and importation of goods from
your country. In May 2003, a contract of sixty-six million United
States dollars ($66,000,000) was awarded to a foreign company by my
ministry. The Contract was supply, erection and system optimization of
supper polyore200,000-bpsd, system optimization of 280,000-monax axial
plants and the computerization of conveyor belt for Kaduna refinery.
With the Consent of only the head of the contract evaluation
department, I over Invoiced the contract value by thirty four million
United States dollars ($34,000,000:00).
The contract has since been completed and the foreign company fully
paid off. But, in the office files and paper work, the company is still
owed USD34M representing the over invoiced amount. Because this amount
is derived from the award and execution of a foreign contract, there is
no way the money can be paid locally. That is why I am contacting you
so that we can do the project together for our mutual benefit. We have
concluded every necessary arrangement to transfer this amount to a
foreign account as the final phase payment for the said contract.
I solicit your assistance to enable us transfer the said amount into
your safe bank account and after we shall come over there to share the
money with you. You can either provide us with an existing account or
to set up a new bank account immediately to receive this money, even an
empty a/c can serve to receive this money, as long as you will remain
honest to me till the end of this important business trusting in you
and believing that you will never let me down either now or in future.
We sincerely need an honest person to work with and have agreed to
share the money in the following percentages, 65% will be for us, 30%
will be for you whose account is used to secure the funds and 5% will
be used to settle every expenses incurred during the transaction like
air tickets etc. There is no risk involvement because applications will
be made to the concerned Federal ministries and parastatals with
official approvals given by the Federal government before the Central
bank of Nigeria will be officially authorized to wire the funds to your
nominated bank account by telegraphic transfer. Those involved over
here are directors in the ministry, they know how best to effect the
transfer and will come over there to collect their own share.
If you are interested, contact me via email indicating your full
names,company/business name and address. Your direct telephone and fax
numbers for effective communication. The name and address of the bank
you will like us to deposit the money, the telephone and fax numbers of
the bank, the account name and number etc. Everything has been arranged
and I will send more information about the business transaction to you
as soon as I hear from you. For obvious reasons, please keep the
proposal top secret.
Kind regards,
Abraham Patrick

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