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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Tessy" <tessyobaseki3@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: tessyobaseki1@inmail24.com
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 08:41:11 -0700
Subject: GOOD TO KNOW YOU


*

PLEASE RE-CONSIDER MY CONDITION!!!

Dear Sir/Madam,

I presume this letter will come to you as a suprise,but as things unfold,we
will know each other better and how I got your contact.

I will start by introducing myself to you, I am Mrs Tessy Obaseki,the wife
of Chief Jackson Gaius Obaseki, the Group Managing Director and Chief
Executive of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) I am very sure
that you will be of a good assistance after carefully reading my letter. For
many years of marriage now between me and my husband,I have not given
birth,and this has really troubled my husband.This is as a result of so much
respect attached to local Tradition Culture and Custom in there community.

And now my husband is dead, In short to be sincere and honest with you,with
the present situation of things now, I am being treaten daily by my husband
family to get me out from the house. My husband parents and brothers are not
left out in this matter.This situation has really affected me
sychologically, most of the time I am in the church to pray and rest
myself,because there is no room for rest in my own home again.

As I am writing to you now,I am no longer assured of a matrmonial home,
hence I seek for your urgent assistance and help me out, which I know will
go a long way in geting me settled down finally.I want to use this
opportunity,since my husband family are tring to abandoned me because of
childlessness,to move this amount of (US$32M) million us dollars into your
custody for safe keeping,pending my arrival in your country. Be informed
that this said amount was given to my husband as gratification from some
foreign oil companies he helped in secu7ring Allocation for the Drilling of
Crude Oil in Nigeria.

As a civil servant then,he does not want to be desposed, so he gave me this
money to keep in my personal account, this was when the going was okay
between us,so that he can exonerate himself from the eyes of Government
security operatives and the civil service commission(CSC)which is the body
that scrutinizes the activities of all civil servants in Nigeria as checks
and balances for official misconduct.

Please i need your urgent assistance because my husband family are tring to
take all i and my husbnad has labourd for and throw me out of the house,
please don't let this happen to me come and save me out of this truouble and
i will be forever be geatfull to you. To be sincere and honest with you,this
money is never connected with drugs, money aundry,firearms and looting,which
I beleive might put fears in you and consequently withdrawing your help for
security reasons. Hence the source of this said money is clean and clear.

This money was deposited in my personal Domicillary Account and I have
discussed with the bank manager who is very close to me, my intention to
transfer the money out of Nigeria and he promise to render to me all the
ssistance I needed to transfer the money out of Nigeria.

All I need now is for you to send me your bank account and other
informations,to enable my lawyer apply for foreign exchange at the Federal
Ministry of Finance with your name as the beneficiary of the fund. This is
how my bank has planned it,to avoid any suspicion from our apex bank.

Be rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free, As soon as I
receive your response and your willingness to help as regards to his I will
furnish you on the next line of action to take immediately.

Note,as soon as the money is successfully transfered into your account, I
will start coming to meet you in your country. I Promise to compensate you
very well at the successful end, this is the guranttee I am giving you from
my heart of heart.

Be informed according to my bank manager,this transaction will not last more
than 7 working bank days and it will be concluded because every
necessary/vital arrangements has been put in place, take note.

Your negative or positive response will be highly appreciated by me,Thanks
and God bless your family.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs Tessy Obaseki
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam