419 scam: "Mohammed Abacha"<mallamabacha0@gmail.com> Dear One.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "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)
- "you will be entitled to 30%" (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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- mohdabacha@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mohammed Abacha" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mohdabacha01@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:48:52 -0700
Subject: Dear One.

Dear One,

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.

I got your contact through my private search, I therefore decided to
contact you .I am the second son of late General Sani Abacha, the late
Military Head of State of Nigeria.

When my father was alive I used to move funds, in cash, running into
millions of United States dollars to Brazil, Lebanon, SWITZERLAND and
other parts of the world, for safe keeping. However, on the eve of my
father's death in June 8, 1998, he gave me the sum of US$67.5(SIXTY
SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS)in cash to
move to Lebanon as usual, but immediately my father died I had to move
the fund to EUROPE through a diplomatic courier service to a trust
security company in EUROPE.

The funds have been in the security company in EUROPE since July 1998.
However, because of the many restrictions placed on my family by the
present Nigerian Government, I simply cannot travel to EUROPE to
secure the funds from the security company in EUROPE.
What I now need from you are as follows:-

1.You should travel to EUROPE to secure the funds in cash on my behalf
and deposit it in your bank account in your Country.

2.You will be entitled to 30% of the total sum involved for your assistance.

3.As soon as you confirm to me by my above e-mail address your
readiness to travel to EUROPE OR HELP ME, I will send a copy of my
Power of Attorney to the security company in EUROPE authorizing them
to release the funds to you.

4.As soon as you have the fund in your custody, I will give you
details of where and which sector you will invest my share of the
funds into, on my behalf.

5.Please note that this project is 100% risk free, but you must keep
it very secret and confidential because of my personal security. I
even have a lawyer who can assist me as all my telephone lines are
under monitor. So for security reasons, I would like you to contact my
lawyer who will tell you what to do.
Please contact me immediately through my secured and private email
address: mohdabacha@gmail.com

I expect your prompt reply as soon as possible.

NOTE: you can check the following websites for more breakdown.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4287700.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4230884.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8371220.stm

Best Regards.

MOHAMMED ABACHA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam