419 scam: "From Engineer Tony Frank"<info@nnpc.org> STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- tffcc34@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "From Engineer Tony Frank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tffcc34@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 06:13:48 -0700
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

>From Engineer Tony Frank
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC),
P o. Box 256 Victoria Island Lagos,
Nigerian
Email: tffcc34@yahoo.co.jp

Dear Friend,

I am Eng. Tony Frank, The Director of the Contractors Award and Review
Department with the Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I am
contacting you on this business of transferring the sum of
US$12,000,000.00 (Twelve million United Stated Dollars only) into a safe
foreign account and the need is very urgent. I got your contact from the
internet when i was searching for honest person who will assist me to
receive the money into your bank account and it is with business trust
that made me to contact you on this matter. I write to solicit for the
transfer of this money into your account.

This money was generated from an over invoiced contract sum in my
corporation (NNPC).

I am contacting you for your help and partnership for the following two
reasons:
1. As a civil servant, I am not permitted to own foreign accounts due to
civil service code of conduct.

2. My present financial resources as a civil servant will not be
sufficient for me to handle the transfer alone successfully without
financial assistance from a reliable foreign partner abroad. 40% of this
sum would be for you as compensation for using your Bank account in
transferring this money, 5% would be used to reimburse the expenses made
by both parties during the processing of the transferring which include,
telephone bills, traveling expenses and fees. While 55% is for me.

Please note that I will arrange to meet with you immediately after the
successful conclusion of the transfer, the 55% share of mine will be used
for investment overseas. Your assistance and co-operation is highly
needed. I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free. Looking
forward to your anticipated and urgent positive response via this e-mail
tffcc34@yahoo.co.jp

Regards
Eng, Tony Frank.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam