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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "transfer into your account" (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)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "million us 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)
• 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.
  • henry_orusa@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Henry Orusa" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2006 13:47:02 +0100 (MET)
Subject: Re: Let us discuss


Greetings and compliments of the season.
It is with my profound dignity that I write you this very important and highly confidential letter. First, I must solicit your strictest confidentiality in this transaction. However, let me start by introducing myself properly to you. I am Dr. Henry Orusa, a Director in the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) and I presently head a five-man committee in charge of Contract Awards and Payment Approvals. My colleagues and I, are Top Officials of the Federal Government Contract Review and Award Panel. Our duties include Evaluation, Vetting, and Approval for payment of Contracts done for the D.P.R. In order to commence, we solicit your assistance to enable us transfer into your Account the said funds.
The source of these funds is as follows: In the second quarter of 2001 this committee was mandated to review and award contracts to the tune of US$400 million US dollars to a group of five firms for the supply, construction and installation of Oil Pipe lines in Warri and Port Harcourt. During this process my colleagues and I decided and agreed among ourselves to deliberately over-inflate the total contract sum from US$400 million to US$448 million United States dollars with the main intention of sharing the remaining sum of US$48 million amongst ourselves. The Federal Government of Nigeria has since last year approved the sum of US$448 million for us as the contract sum, and the sum of US$400 million has also been paid to the foreign companies concerned as contract entitlements for the various contracts done, but since the companies are entitled to US$400 million dollars only, we are now left with US$48 million dollars balance in the account which we intend to disburse amongst ourselves. I have therefore; been delegated as a matter of trust and urgency by my colleagues in the panel to look for an overseas partner into whose account we would transfer the sum of US$48 million. Hence we are writing you this letter. My Colleagues and I have agreed that if you or your company can act as the beneficiary of this funds on our behalf, you or your Company will retain 20% of the total amount (US$48 million), while 70% will be for us (OFFICIALS) and the remaining 10% will be used in offsetting all debts/expenses and Taxes incurred both local and foreign in the cause of this transfer.
Needless to say, the trust reposed on you at this juncture is enormous. a) Our conviction of your transparent honesty and diligence b) That you would treat this transaction with utmost secrecy and confidentiality c) That you will not ask for more share or try to sit on the funds once it is under your custody, or any form of blackmail. c) That upon receipt of the funds you will release the funds as instructed by us. Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter, either by calling the number above, using this e-mail address henry_orusa@excite.com I will bring you into the complete picture of this pending business transaction when I have heard from you and also receive your confidential telephone and fax numbers to enable me fax to you all necessary information you need to know about our pending business transaction. Your urgent response will be highly appreciated to enable us transfer the funds under this fourth quarter of the year 2006.
Thank you
Dr. Henry Orusa

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam