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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand u.s dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • adede_ade@consultant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Adede Ade" <adedeade_anthony8@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: adede_ade@consultant.com
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 14:19:34 +0100
Subject: INFORMATION

NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
From the desk of:
Mr Adede Anthony
Audit& Acct.Dept.
Email adede_ade@consultant.com
Tel 234-80-68802305
Although this proposal might come to you as a surprise, since it is from
someone you do not know or have seen before, but based on your impressive
information, I gathered from the net here in Nigeria.
I am the director, fund co-coordinator of the Finance Contract Department of
Nigerian National Petroleum corporation. The crux of this letter is that the
Finance/Contract Department of the NNPC deliberately over-inflated the
contract values of various contract awarded. In the course of disbursement
my office was able to track down the sum of US$20.5M (Twenty Million Five
Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars) as the over invoiced sum. This money is now
floating in the NPA domiciliary account with the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN). My colleagues and I now want to quickly transfer this fund to a safe
nominated foreign account for possible investment abroad.
We are not allowed as a matter of government policy to operate any foreign
account because of our status as civil/public servants. Hence the need to
solicit for you’re full co-operation, to enable us transfers this money into
your account.
Upon your acceptance of this proposal, we have also agreed on a sharing
ratio:-
1)30% for you as the account owner
2)70% for I and my colleagues
Furthermore, we shall be coming over to your country when the money is
finally in your account and we shall be relying on your advice as regards to
investment of our share. Be informed that, this business is genuine and 100%
safe considering the high-powered of government officials involved.
Send me the following information: -
1) YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
2) YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
This is to effect the Swift Transfer of this fund into your account within a
12 working Days.
Expecting your immediate response by email while looking forward to a
healthy business relationship with you.
Sincerely yours,
Adede Anthony

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam