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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "my name aru" <abdu_rahm@colombia.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 20:05:14 +0100
Subject: From: Dr Abdurah Manalamoudi


Dear Friend

I am Dr Abdurah Manalamoudi, Director of Procurements,Nigerian National
Petroleum Co-orporation (NNPC).Please i need your assistance/co-orperation
involving a very strictly confidential transaction, which involve the
transfer of a reasonable sum of money to your account.

There is about $18,500,000.00 US Dollars in my department awaiting
remittance. This money represent the surplus of an over invoiced valued
contract executed to the Nigerian Petroleum Co-orporation, which was
completed some years back.

I now seek if you permit that the money to be remitted to your personal /
company,s account so that the money to be remitted would be shared mutually
among the parties concerned, viz., yourself and the officers where this
money originated. I assure you that this transaction is risk free as
officers of proven integrity, and position are involved.

Every machinery has been set in motion for a smooth and quick transfer of
this fund.However, I would wish to receive your personal assurance that you
are not going to sit on this money when it goes into your account.

More importantly,you keep confidential this transaction as not to tarnish
the confidence reposed on the officers.Tentatively,we have agreed that 60%
of the money goes to us, 40% to you.For formal processing of necessary
papers,we shall need as urgent.

The name of your bank,addresses,fax and account number to be used and also
your personal phone number and house address.

Please you are only required to respond if you are sure of carrying out this
transaction and you can be trusted regarding the confidentiality this
transaction requires.

Your urgent reply is needed.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Abdurah Manalamoudi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam