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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: "A. L. Yaradua" <mymailinfo08@gmail.com>
Reply-To: alyaraduafile@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 06:01:13 -0700
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT


Dear Sir/Madam,


I am Engr. A. L. Yaradua GMD, NNPC , Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
[NNPC]. My

colleagues have mandated me to transfer the sum of US$88 Millions recovered
from an

over-invoiced contracts involving the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation[NNPC] into

several private account in Europe and United States. A total sum of
US$75,500,000.00 has

been transferred before the emergence of this present Civilian
Administration, in May 1999

leaving the balance of US$12,500,000.00 which we now have access to
following the failure

of our predecessors to complete the transfer before they bowed out of office
leaving us

with this golden opportunity to transfer it for our benefit.


I have made proper arrangement/documentation to transfer the balance
(US$12,500,000.00)

which is retained in a coded account of the NNPC with one of the banks in
Nigeria. We are

soliciting that you help us to receive the fund in trust. We cannot complete
this

transaction smoothly without the participation of a foreign partner who
would provide an

account where the funds could be lodged. Since it is a contract payment, the
funds must be

remitted to a foreign account. Also people in such position are not
permitted by the

Nigerian Civil Service law to own or operate foreign accounts while still in
service. The

remittance of the funds requires little documentation that would be
completed as soon as

you provide us with a secured bank account where you may wish to receive the
money. I can

conveniently assure you that all modalities have been put in place for a
smooth transaction

that is absolutely risk-free as long as you give us maximum cooperation to
make
this a success.


There is no risk involved on your part in this transaction since my
colleagues and I have

covered this transaction with adequate contract and external credit
documents from the

beginning. What we require from you now by Email are viz: (i) A reliable
Bank Account

(presumably an empty bank account, if available). {ii} A named beneficiary
of the account

(i.e. personal or company's account. {iii} Name and address of Company that
stands as Funds

Beneficiary. (iv) Private tel/mobile phone Number. COULD YOU KINDLY TELL US
WHAT PERCENTAGE

(%) OF THIS MONEY (US$12,500,000.00) YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AFTER THE
TRANSFER TO YOUR BANK

ACCOUNT? Also we should like to invest our own share of the money in
investment projects:

Real Estate Properties, Tourism, Hotel business in your country. How did you
see these

business opportunities? Please reply urgently by e-mail as we expect that
the transaction

will not take more than ten working days. And please note that this
transaction must be TOP SECRET


Best regards,
Engr. A. L. Yaradua.

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