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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "30% for you " (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)
  • "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.
  • drdepartmentofpetroleumresources@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "TONT CHUKWUEKE" <tonychukwueke@cmitr.qc.ca>
Reply-To: drdepartmentofpetroleumresources@yahoo.de
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:25:55 -0500
Subject: GOOD DAY SIR




Dear Friend,


From the Desk of:
THE DIRECTOR,
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (DPR)
PLOT 7, KOFO ABAYOMI STREET,
VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS - NIGERIA.

Sir,

I got your reference from your country's internet trade directory. I
hope
you would know the essence of my contact with you. I sincerely promise
that the deal is 100% risk-free to both sides, hence our top powers to
execute it.

My name is, Engr. Tony C. Chukwueke, Head of the above department of
Petroleum Resources (DPR). My term of reference involves the award of
contracts to multinational companies. My office is saddled with the
responsibility of contract award, screening, categorization and
prioritization of projects embarked upon by Department of Petroleum
Resources (DPR) as well as feasibility studies for selected projects
and
supervising the project consultants involved.

A breakdownof the fiscal expenditure by this office as at the end of
last
fiscal quarter of 2005 indicates that DPR paid out a whooping sum of
US$2B
(Two Billion United States Dollars) to successful local and foreign
contractors. The DPR is now compelling beneficiaries to be paid for
this
first Quarter of the year 2007. Pls take a look at this article:
http://www.businessdayonline.com/?c=132&a=7129.

You can also browse on the Department of Petroleum Resources website;
www.dprnigeria.com The picture inset is my recent photo.

The crux of this letter is that the finance/contract department of the
DPR
under my instruction deliberately over-invoiced the contract value of
the
various contracts awarded. In the course of disbursements, my
department
has been able to accumulate the sum of $150M (One Hundred and fifty
Million U.S Dollars) as the over-invoiced sum.

This money is currentlyin a suspense account of the DPR account with
the
Debt Reconciliation Committee (DRC). We now seek to process the
transfer
of this fund officially as contract payment to you as a foreign
contractor, who will be fronting for us as the beneficiary of the
fund.
In
this way we can facilitate these funds into your nominated foreign
account
for possible investment abroad. We are not allowed as a matter of
government policy to operate any foreign account to transfer this fund
into.

However, for your involvement in assisting us with this transfer into
your
nominated account we have evolved a sharing formula as follows:

(1) 30% for you as the foreign partner
(2) 65% for me and my colleagues
(3) 5% shall be set aside to offset expenditures

We shall be relying on your advice as regards investment of our share
in
any business in your country. Be informed that this business isgenuine
and 100% safe considering the high-power government officials
involved.

Send your private fax/telephone numbers . Upon your response through
email
first. we shall provide you with further information on the
procedures.
Feel free to do so please. All enquiries should be directed to me.

Looking forward to a good business relationship with you.

I shall tender all other formal security and communication identities
when
I get your reply to this proposal.

Sincerely,

Engr. Tony C. Chukwueke
Director, DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (DPR).
E-mail: drdepartmentofpetroleumresources@yahoo.de

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam