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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: Bluecrest Bluecrest <bluecrest_2020@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 05:23:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: I want to invest in your country


Nigerian National petroleum corporation(NNPC).=20
Contract / Finance Department:
N.N.P.C. Building,
7,Kofo Abayomi Str, Victoria Island,
lkoyi, Lagos-Nigeria ,P.M.B.2563.
E-mail: deltacrest_2010@yahoo.com
=A0=20
Dear ,
=A0=20
=A0 The prompting of this mail is to solicit your partnership/assistance=A0=
=A0 over a transaction=A0 would certainly boost the financial position of a=
ll=A0=A0 parties involved, when concluded.=20
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=20
=A0 I am an accountant with the Nigerian National Petroleum=A0 Corporation(=
NNPC). Indeed, we are making payments to some foreign contractors who our F=
ederal Government owed some Financial obligation.
=A0
=A0 In the ongoing exercise, we observed a surplus budget in excess of=A0=
=A0 Twenty Five=A0 Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars=A0 USD$25,500,=
000.00) On=A0=A0 further investigations, we discovered that this excess fun=
d was as a=A0=A0 result of Over-invoice margin on contract sums approved by=
the former=A0=A0 officials of Contract Award Committee which awarded those=
contracts=A0 during=A0 the former military regime.
=A0
=A0 It is this over-invoiced sum that my colleagues and I are collaborating=
=A0=A0 to siphon out to a foreign bank account abroad for our benefit.
=A0
=A0 We have made arrangements to this effect, in every relevant government=
=A0=A0 sectors/offices, especially the Federal Ministry of Finance and the=
=A0=A0 Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ) for a hitch free transaction.
=A0
=A0 But we realized that it's imperative to involve a foreigner in order to=
=A0=A0 succeed because the said contracts were executed by foreign firms,=
=A0=A0 also, as ordinary civil servant, we do not have the necessary capita=
l to=A0=A0=A0 handle this operation because of the financial expenses requi=
red to=A0=A0=A0 set=A0 up and successfully conclude the operation; that is =
why it become
=A0 necessary to source for the partnership / assistance of Overseas=A0 com=
pany or=A0 individuals with the necessary capability to handle the=A0 trans=
action and=A0 receive these funds in his bank account, on our behalf and ho=
ld=A0 safely=A0 until our arrival for final disbursement,hence this letter.
=A0
=A0 Consequently, it has been unanimously agreed that for your financial=A0=
=A0 cooperation and on successful conclusion of the proposed transaction,=
=A0=A0 all=A0 expenses you incurred in the successful actualization of the=
=A0=A0 transaction would first be reimbursed to you after which you=A0 will=
receive=A0 30%=A0 of the total sum remitted and what remains comes to us t=
he Nigerian
=A0 counterparts/ partners.
=A0=A0=20
=A0 The nature of your business is not particularly relevant for the=A0=A0 =
success of this transaction.=A0 All we required is your willingness,=A0=A0 =
cooperation and assurance that our own share will be given to us when this=
=A0=A0 money=A0 is transferred into your bank account.=20
=A0=A0=20
=A0 Since we have no knowledge of business, our plan is to invest this=A0=
=A0 money into Agricultural scheme, Real Estate, stock market and we can=A0=
also=A0 invest in some other profitable business in your country based on=
=A0 your=A0 advice because many of our years were spent as civil servants a=
nd,=A0 we=A0 may likely resign from government service to private business =
after=A0 this=A0 money is transferred into your account.=20
=A0=A0=20
=A0 Therfore, if you are interested and capable to work exclusively with=A0=
us=A0 to achieve this goal, pls; indicate your interest through the=A0 e-m=
ail=A0 address above.
=A0
Looking forward to your consideration and early response upon the=A0=A0 rec=
eipt of this letter.
=A0
Yours faithfully,
=A0
Mr.John Smith
=0A=0A=0A

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