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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Thompson Malik" <thompmalik@keko.net>
Date: Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:09:16 +0100
Subject: CONTRACT INFO - Your assistance needed

Dear Sir/Madam

I am Thompson Malik, the Financial Director/Chief Account
officer of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This Organization (INEC) was in charge of conducting
Elections held in my country Nigeria on 14th and 21st of
April 2007.Consequently, on April 2006, about US$90 Million
was allocated to this Agency by the past Democratic
Administration that is Governing the Political Sovereignty
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the time. On
disbursement of the (US$90 Million) which was meant for the
organization and execution of the General Elections of 2007.

At the end of the whole exercise, only about US$55 Million
of the total sum was utilized in conducting all the
election, leaving us my agency (INEC),with a balance of
US$35 Million .Having concluded all stages of the Election
and the Government-elect already in power, it was left for
my office to give account of all expenses incurred in
conducting the elections.While balancing the account,I and
the Head of Auditing Department (Audit Director INEC) who is
my partner in this transaction have been able to use our
influential positions to inflate our supposed expenditure
thereby having the sum of US$21.5M (Twenty One Million,Five
Hundred Thousand US Dollars Only) left for us to disburse
from the (INEC) treasury account with the intention of
transferring the funds out of the country to any reliable
foreign bank account pending when we shall come over to your
country and collect our percentage which we intend to
specifically invest in your country. We are particularly
interested in investing our share of the fund into Real
Estate Business,this will also afford an opportunity of
purchasing good property/house good enough to accomodate my
family and I, as I have planned to resign from this position
as soon as the fund is transfered into your account.

As the Chief financial Director of (INEC) I was in charge of
all the funds mapped out for the supply/contracts, I have
already given a break down of my expenses to the authorities
concerned showing that out of the US$90 Million mapped for
the project,that US$13.5 Million was the balance left in
(INEC's) Purse.That means we have made it categorically
clear to them that the Total Expenditure was US$76.5Million,
instead of the official US$55 Million. Meanwhile,the US$21.5
Million which was acquired through over invoicing is
currently deposited with a Financial Institution awaiting
proper documentations and claims to transfer the said fund
into your designated bank account.

NOTE: Our reason for contacting you in this confidential
transaction is due to the fact that,as Top Civil Servant
working under Government Establishment/Corporation,we are
not allowed to operate foreign account as it is against the
new Government Code of Conduct Bureau and based on this
difficult situation, we have no other option than to ask for
your Assistance in transfering this fund out.If you can
handle this transaction for our joint benefit, please get
back to me on the phone number above so that I can give you
more details on this matter, as what is required now is to
register you as a Contractor who supplied Voting Materials
to our Agency for the April 14th 2007 Election (ie BALLOT
BOXES/PAPERS)to enable the bank transfer the fund in your
favour immediately.

NOTE:Your business status does not matter in this
transaction,what matters is your ability to handle the
amount of this magnitude. I want you to understand that this
transaction must be kept in utmost confidentiality and
secrecy because of my position here.

We will discuss the percentage due when we talk.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Thompson Malik

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam