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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "DR MARK CHARLES" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markcharles6306@att.net>
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2010 16:45:50 +0100
Subject: SHOULD WE RELEASE YOUR FUNDS TO MRS ANNE ROBINSON

26 YORK STREET, LONDON
W1U 6PZ,UNITED KINGDOM
Email: markcharles6306@att.net
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE
OFFICE OF DIRECTOR OF FINANCE (NNPC)
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.NNPC CONTRACT #:
MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009,
Swift Code: BPH KPL PK,
OurRef:NNPC/IRD/NNX/21/08
Tel: +44-7045719551

WE APOLOGISE FOR THE DELAY OF YOUR PAYMENT AND ALL THE INCONVENIENCES WE MIGHT HAVE PUT YOU THROUGH, WHILE WE WERE HAVING SOME MINOR PROBLEMS WITH OUR PAYMENT SYSTEM WHICH IN ALL CASE NOT MEETING UP WITH FOREIGN PAYMENTS, WE APOLOGISE ONCE AGAIN.FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS DUE FOR PAYMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, YOUR NAME AND COMPANY WAS DISCOVERED AS NEXT ON THE LIST OF THE (13) OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENTS DURING THE (8)YEARS TENURE OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION IN OFFICE PLEASE BEAR WITH US FOR MAKING THE INITIAL CONTACT THROUGH EMAIL.

MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE A FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE IS HER INFORMATION BELOW:

NAME ANNE ROBINSON
BANK NAME: CITIBANK, ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6503809008.

PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REP, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO FILL AND SEND THIS INFORMATION FOR VERIFICATIONS PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR FUND VALUED ($5 MILLION) US DOLLARS WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS:

1) YOUR FULL NAME
2) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE
3) COMPANY NAME, POSITION AND ADDRESS.
4) PROFESSION, AGE AND MARITAL STATUS.
5) WORKING ID/INT'L PASSPORT.

AS SOON AS THIS INFORMATION IS RECEIVED, YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU IN A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OR WIRED TO YOUR NOMINATE BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM A COMMERCIAL BANK HERE IN NIGERIA.THIS IS THE FIRST QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR. HOWEVER; WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS.ANNE ROBINSON, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THE DELAY IN TRANSFERRING OF YOUR FUND MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.

BEST REGARDS.
DR MARK CHARLES
NNPC DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

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