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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348022273491 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Demola Johnson" <demojohn_31@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: demolajohnson@myway.com
Date: Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:25:17 +0000
Subject: Urgent Assistance Needed.

FROM: THE DESK OF MR DEMOLA JOHNSON
CONTRACT AWARD CHAIRMAN
NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
PORTHARCOURT WARRI REFINARY NIGERIA.
PRIVATE TELE PHONE: +234-8022273491

 

REQUEST FOR AN URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSFER OF US$40,500,000.00 (FORTY MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS ONLY.

 

I fervently pray that this letter soliciting for your kind assistance will not cause any embarrassment to you. I am aware that we have never seen each other before, neither have we exchanged any form of formal contact or correspondence. I am also, equally aware that this world is full of dishonest people but I sincerely hope that my humble letter will touch your kind heart to assist and give me the opportunity of being future inseparable.

 

I, on behalf of my colleague in the office (NNPC), I have decided to solicit for your assistance as regards the transfer of the above stated amount into your bank account. This fund arose from the over-invoicing of various contracts awarded in my ministry to certain foreign contractors sometime ago.

 

We as the holders in our various parastatals, we are mandated by this civilian government to scrutinize all payments made to certain foreign contractors, and we discovered that some of these contracts they executed were grossly over-invoiced, either by omission or commission. Also, we discovered that the sum of $40.500, 000.00 (forty million five hundred thousand US Dollars only) was lying in a suspense account, although the foreign contractors were fully paid their entitlements after executing the said contracts.

 

We all agreed that the over-invoiced amount would be transferred outside the country (for our own use) into a bank account provided by a foreign partner, as a code of conduct of the Federal civil service does not allow us to operate with any foreign account. We are therefore seeking for your assistance based on the agreement been made within our self's, the documents of this transaction will be speedily processed for immediate remittance of this over-invoice fund into your bank account.

 

On successful remittance of the fund into your account, you will be compensated with 25% of the total amount for assistance and 5% is already set aside for expenses on the process of this transaction while 70% is for my colleague and me. This transaction is closely knitted and in view of our SENSITIVE POSITION we cannot afford a slip, I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free.

 

We will avail you with our identities as regards our respective offices when relationship is fully established and smooth operation commences. I am at your disposition to entertain any question(s) from you in respect of this transaction, so if you agreed to assist in this transaction, I will like you to furnish me with the following information.

 

1. Your Full names / home address.
2. Your private telephone/fax numbers.
3. Your Bank Account details.
4. Your Age and your Occupation.
5. Any form of your identification such as international passport or Driver's licens.

 

Please, note that this deal needs utmost confidentiality.

 

Yours faithfully.

 

Mr. DEMOLA JOHNSON.

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam