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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • innocent_uba111@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Innocent Uba <innocent_uba111@yahoo.it>
Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2007 02:57:36 +0200
Subject: NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION URGENT REPLY

 

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS,LAGOS
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
FROM THE DESK OF: SIR INNOCENT
LAGOS-NIGERIA
EMAIL:innocent_uba111@yahoo.it

DEAR SIR/MADAM ,
 
 
AFTER DUE DELIBERATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I DECIDED TO FORWARD THIS PROPOSAL TO YOU. WE WANT A
RELIABLE PERSON  WHO COULD ASSIST US TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS (US$30,000,000.00) INTO HIS/HER ACCOUNT.
 
 THIS FUND RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED BILL FROM CONTRACT AWARDED BY US UNDER THE BUDGET
ALLOCATION TO MY MINISTRY AND THE BILL WAS APPROVED FOR PAYMENT BY THE CONCERNED  MINISTRIES. THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXECUTED, COMMISSIONED AND THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN PAID THE ACTUAL COST OF THE CONTRACT. WE ARE LEFT WITH THE OVER- INVOICED BALANCE OF US$30,000,000.00 WHICH WE HAVE DELIBERATELY OVER ESTIMATED, FOR OUR OWN USED. I AM CONTACTING YOU TO BE OUR CUSTODIAN FOR THIS FUND.
 
 1. 25% FOR YOU (ACCOUNT OWNER)
 2. 70% FOR US
 3. 5% FOR TAX, AS MAY REQUIRED BY OUR GOVERNMENT AND YOURS.
 
 AS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW AND TO MAKE YOU LESS CURIOUS, I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS FROM ADVERTS, IN A BUSINESS DIRECTORY THAT PORTRAYED YOUR ESTABLISHMENT IN GOOD LIGHT.  I AM THE HEAD AUDIT & ACCOUNTS OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)LAGOS.
 
 THIS TRANSACTION IS VERY MUCH FREE FROM ALL SORTS OF TROUBLE YOU MAY BE HAVING IN MIND AND IT IS RISK FREE AS WELL. WE HAVE BEEN EXERCISING PATIENCE AND WAITING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR SO LONG AND TO MY COLLEAGUES (TWO) THIS IS A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS.
 
 TO GET THIS FUND PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS PAYMENT IN YOUR FAVOR TO OUR MINISTRY. WE WILL SEEK APPROVAL TO TRANSFER THE FUND WITHIN 14 BANKING DAYS THROUGH THE APEX BANK (CBN) TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT. MY COLLEAGUE AND I ARE INVOLVED IN THIS DEAL AND WILL COME TO YOUR COUNTRY ONCE THE FUND IS RECEIVED IN YOUR ACCOUNT FOR THE SHARING AND INVESTMENT.
 
 PLEASE DO KINDLY INDICATE BY REVERT FAX OR EMAIL TO ME OF YOUR SINCERITY AND INTEREST TO DO THIS BUSINESS TOGETHER.
 
IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHY WE CHOOSE YOU TO DO THIS BUSINESS WITH, YES, WE BELIEVE THAT GOOD FRIENDS CAN BE DISCOVERED AND BUSINESS LIKE THIS CANNOT BE REALIZED WITHOUT TRUST. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE DECIDED TO TRUST YOU FOR THIS TRANSACTION. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU.

BE FURTHER INFORMED THAT EVERYONE'S INTEREST AND SECURITY HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BEFORE YOU WERE CONTACTED. SO BE REST ASSURED AND FEEL FREE TO GO INTO THIS TRANSACTION WITH US. WE MAY ALSO ARRANGE TO MEET WITH EACH OTHER BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS TRANSACTION AT YOUR OWN WISH.
 
BUT LET HONESTLY BE OUR WATCHWORD THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSACTION AND YOUR PROMPT REPLY WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.
 
THANK BEST REGARDS,
SIR INNOCENT.
 PLEASE DO KINDLY INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE BY RESPONDING BACK TO US WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATIONS.  SEND REPLY TO EMAIL: innocent_uba111@yahoo.it

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam