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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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)
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • +2347028109967

Fraud email example:

From: PROFESSOR MAURICE IWU <iwu08@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mauriceiwu87@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:50:24 +0000
Subject: MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL



MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSALFROM: PROFESSOR MAURICE M. IWU

DEAR FRIEND,

I GUESS THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUSCORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU. I AM PROFESSOR. MAURICE M. IWU, THE CHAIRMAN TENDER BOARD OF DIRECTORS INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION NIGERIA (INEC).

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN THE COURSE OF MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE PERSON WITHWHO TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF FUND VALUED SEVENTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$17.2M) TO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT. THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS OR DRUGS. IT IS THEPRODUCT OF OVER INVOICE ON CONTRACT AWARDED IN 2006 BY INEC, TO FOREIGN COMPANIES FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS THAT WAS USED FOR 2007 ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA. THE CONTRACT HAS LONG BEEN EXECUTED AND PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT MADE TO THE FOREIGN CONTRACTORS LEAVING THE BALANCE OF $17.2M U.S DOLLARS (SEVENTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES 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.

AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FOREIGN ACCOUNT MACHINERY TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION. THEREFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE CONTRACT AND THE SAID CONTRACT SUM VALUED US$17.2 MILLION. MY DEAR, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE PRESIDENT,UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA HAS ENDORSED THE BILL PASSED BY THE SENATE AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THAT ALL FOREIGN CONTRACTORS OWED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA SHOULD BE PAID, WE WILL SEIZE THIS GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE YOU AS ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS TO BE PAID. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL KINDLY MAIL ME YOUR LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR OUR EASY COMMUNICATION, BUT IF YOU CANNOT FOR ANY REASON HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN LINK ME TO A RELIABLE AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON IN WHICH CASE YOUR INTEREST WILL BE PROPERLY PROTECTED.

I AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE FUND WITH YOU IN THE FOLLOWING RATIO, 40% TO YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER, AND 60% TO US.

THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.

NOTE ALSO THAT THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS DOES NOT MATTER TO THIS TRANSACTION AND THIS TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 7 WORKING DAYS SINCE ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY PERFECTED FOR A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION.

I AM ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,

PROFESSOR MAURICE IWU,CHAIRMAN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSIONNIGERIA (INEC).TEL: +234 702 8109967.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam