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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • eric_nnpc001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Eric Edward" <eric_nnpc002@unimail.mn>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 21:56:57 -1200
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL


NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
FALOMO OFFICE COMPLEX,
IKOYI,P.M.B 127011,
LAGOS.NIGERIa
eric_nnpc001@yahoo.com


Dear Friend,

It is my pleasure to contact you for assistance and business co-operation. I
know the content of this letter might be surprising to you. But I assure you
that every word of it is true. Even though we hardly know each other I
believe you can help me.

I am Engr ERIC EDWARDS, The President of a special task force in charge of
the sales of petroleum products in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My
office monitors the sales and lifting of crude oil and petroleum product by
foreign dealers. With the cooperation of my assistant and head of the audit
committee attached to the task force,I have successfully saved about
$30.6million US Dollars.

This money is as a result of allocation of excess crude oil to the foreign
dealers, which has been sold but which money is not entered in the financial
statement of my task force. This money is now lying unclaimed in the account
of the task force, known only to my partners and me involved in the excess
allocation.

However, the legislators of the new democratic government of my country have
set up a panel to look into the past activities of some government companies
and parastatals. We do not want the panel to discover the money we saved. We
cannot lodge this money into our private bank account In my country, public
servants are not permitted to operate any account in excess of $500,000 U.S
Dollars.

Now the idea is to have a foreign partner whom the sum will be transferred
to. We have concluded arrangement to transfer this money to your private
bank account if you permit us to use it. All you have to do is to send me
your private phone I will send you the details of the transfer and necessary
document as the beneficiary.

Please on your reply,we will be able to discuss the modalities. We intend to
invest our share of the sum in business with your knowledge and past
experience your advice will be highly needed for the investment.

Don't worry about any problem in this business. I assure it is safe and no
risk is involved. No other party is aware of the sum from the excess
allocation except my partner and me. However, this transaction should be
secret and confidential.

We awaits your reply on your participation,Time is of great essence to us.
For any further information reach me through my email.

Regards,

Engr.ERIC EDWARDS
Please reply via my private mail id:- eric_nnpc001@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam