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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• 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.

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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)
  • "transfer into your account" (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)
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "stay blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: alfred.ibru@gmail.com
Reply-To: infoinbox@universia.cl
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:57:38 +0100
Subject: Relocation of funds in your Favour


MR ALFRED IBRU
SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER
NIGERIA LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS LTD.
LAGOS CENTRAL OFFICE.

Dear Sir/Madam,

SUB: TRANSFER OF US$35,500,000.00 (THIRTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

I wish to seek your indulgence in sending this message to you. My name is
Alfred Ibru, the Senior Accounting Officer of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural
Gas (NLNG). Since the inception of Democratic government in Nigeria, the
Auditors of this Corporation and I have been mandated to scrutinize all
account records of awarded and executed contracts of this Corporation
(NLNG).

During the cause of our job, we carefully discovered an over estimated
amount of US$35,500,000.00 which we want to transfer into your account as
the contractor/beneficiary.

As top Government officials, we are not authorized to operate foreign bank
accounts, hence our decision to use your account in full trust and
confidence to transfer this funds outside Nigeria. To legalize this
transaction, legal documents will be procured from different Government
Establishments including the office of the Presidency, Federal Republic of
Nigeria reference contract number:NLNG/FGN/FMF/B2517/02.

Moreover, it is pertinent to note that this transaction is absolutely
legitimized, since as Government officials, we would not want to do anything
that will bring our names to disrepute. We have also
resolved that once this funds gets into your account, we would meet with you
in any country of your choice for the disbursement and also to discuss
future joint investment opportunities. All modalities for the successful
execution of this transaction has been worked out and
all that is required from your is maximum cooperation.

If you are interested in this transaction, please contact me through this my
personal e-mail address for more information. Remember to give me your
telephone/fax numbers for easier communication. I anticipate your urgent and
favourable response. Send my regards to your family and stay blessed.

Sincerely yours,

Alfred Ibru

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam