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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:
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (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)
  • "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 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.
  • 2347032149082
• 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.
  • james_chidozie2007@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • engwilliammordi@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "ENG WILLIAM MORDI" <engwillimmordi@gmail.com>
Reply-To: engwilliammordi@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 04:21:31 -0800
Subject: Dear, Friend


**



* *

*DIRECTOR CONTRACT AWARD AND REVIEW PANEL***

*OF NIGERIA NATIONALPETROLEUM***

*CORPORATION (N.N.P.C)***

*ICON HOUSE (8TH FLOOR) *

*IDEJOSTREET** VICTORIA ISLAND***

*LAGOS**, NIGERIA**.*

*TEL: 234-70-321-49082*

*WEBSITE:* *http://www.petroinfonigeria.com/home.html*

**

* <http://fr.f234.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=james_chidozie2007@yahoo.fr>*

*Dear, Friend*

* *

*I guess this letter may come to you as a surprise since I had no previous
correspondence with you. I am the Director Contract Award and Review Panel
of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).*

* *

*I got your contact in the course of my search for a reliable person with
who to handle a very confidential transaction involving the transfer of fund
valued fifty million seven hundred thousand United States dollars ($50.7m)
to a safe foreign account.*

* *

*The above fund in question is not connected with arms, drugs or money
laundering. It is the product of over invoice on contract awarded in 2006 by
NNPC, to a foreign company for the turn around maintenance of Nigeria oil
refineries in Kaduna state, Delta state, and Lagos state of Nigeria. the
contract has long been executed and payment of the actual contract amount
made to the foreign contractor leaving the balance of $50.7m US dollars in a
dormant account which my colleagues and I now want to transfer out of
Nigeria into a reliable foreign account for our personal use.*

* *

*Civil servants are prohibited by the Code of Conduct Bureau (Civil Service
Commission) law to operate a foreign bank account.therfore it becomes
necessary to look for a foreign company with the capability to act as the
original contractor and beneficiary of the contract fund. My dear, it is a
good thing that the president has endorsed the resolution passed by the
senate that all foreign contractors owed by the Federal Government of
Nigeria should be paid, we will seize this good opportunity to support you
as one of the contractors and beneficiaries to be paid.*

* If you are interested in this proposal kindly send to me your letter of
acceptance along with your direct telephone and fax numbers, but if you
cannot for any reason handle this transaction I should be grateful if you
can introduce it to a reliable and trust worthy person in which in any case
your interest will be properly taken care off. Meanwhile, my colleagues and
I have decided to share the money in the following ratio: 70% for my
colleagues and me, then 20% for you, the account owner and 10% for all local
and international expenses that may arise in the course of this transaction.
Further details about this transaction will be discussed in the subsequent
correspondence.*

* *

* This transaction is strictly confidential and also 100% risk free for both
of us. Note also that the particular nature of your business is irrelevant
to this transaction and this transaction is expected to be concluded within
14 bank working days since all local contacts and arrangements have been
properly perfected for a smooth and successful conclusion of this
transaction.*

*To enable me commence documentation on this transaction in your name as the
contractor and beneficiary furnish me with the information as required
below.*

* *

*Your Full Name.....................*

*Address................................... *

*Age..........................................*

*Occupation.............................*

*Your Phone Number.............*

*Country and State.................*

* *

*YOURS FAITHFULLY, *

*ENG WILLIAM MORDI*

*DIRECTOR CONTRACT AWARD AND REVIEW PANEL OF NNPC *

*N:B, please for the best interest and security of this transaction, send
your replies to my private email address:
(<http://fr.f234.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=james_chidozie2007@yahoo.fr>
engwilliammordi@gmail.com<http://fr.mc284.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=james_chidozie2007@yahoo.fr)For>)For
more explanations, *

* *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam