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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: "Mr. Daniel Ayodele Otumba" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <danielotu@blumail.org>
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 06:43:54 +0100
Subject: Compliments and Information

Mr. Daniel Ayodele Otumba,
234 Victoria Street,
Lagos state Nigeria.
Attention
 
REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
First, I must solicit your strictest confidence in this information and transaction, virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and 'top secret'.
I am  Mr. Daniel Ayodele Otumba, an Accountant with Mobil Petroleum Nigeria, I got your contact on my confidential search on the internet of your country database and with the little information gathered I am not in doubt of your ability to handle this transaction, I am senior accountant with Mobil Nigeria Plc a multinational Company , I am interested in investing into real estate  in your country,  with funds which are presently trapped in Nigeria.
This fund value of Eighteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($18,500,000:00) came to exist as an unclaimed contract payment made by this  Company into the account of a foreign contractorpn  the contract executed   in the year 2004, ever since this payment was transferred into his existing account here in my country, every effort made to get hold of this contractor has not been sycessful. Just 12 months ago, I got a  news on the death of this foreign  contractor in a gas explosion at his residence in the United Kingdom and all attempts to get his next of kin or beneficiary has been abortive.
 
The banking rules here in my country, have it that if a depositor has been confirmed dead and the account has been dormant and  for a period of six (6) years and no one comes up for the claim of his/her deposit,  the bank has the right to declare such fund unclaimed and be transferred into the government treasury, with a 40% commission, ever since I got this news I have waiting for the appropriate time to convert this fund for my personal utilisation, just last week an official notification letter was sent to this organization by the bank on the arrangement to declare this fund unclaimed,and with the recent change of the head of the contract board, I see  it apropriate to convert this fund for personal utilisation and   I have to put a stop to the arrangement with an excuse that  a foreigner has already cont
 
I have contacted you as a foreigner to stand as my trustee to enable me present you before the bank as the either the business associate or the distant relative of this contractor, to facilitate this fund ownership change in your favor and immediate transfer into your account, pending my visit there in your country for sharing and utilization between us, I also want to reassure you that every step on this fund transfer is free of any risk and it will be carried out under a legitimate process that will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
On the completion of this fund into your account, the sharing should be thus: -
 
50% is for me as the initiator and I will confidently hand over to you all the essential documents on this very contract  that the payment is lying unclaimed in the bank, you will also guide me on the investment of this my share into real estate there in your country.
45% should be for you as my partner, considering the essential role that you will play in this transaction.
5% should be for hidden expense reimbursement that should be incurred for the legal actualization of this project in your favor.
In the execution of this project, I will urgently require from you the following details:-
Your name in full.
Your residential Address in full.
Your Mobile/Cell Phone number.
Tel/Fax Number
Brief information on your profile, this should include your age, marital status and nature of Job.
 
however, before further details of this laudable transaction will be revealed to you. i must be convinced of your integrity, transparency and honest, because this is highly, business transaction that requires someone with experience, exposure and more than average means of livelihood. please treat this transaction as strictly confidential as I am a  civil servants who would not want any exposure.
 
Forward your response to this my email account: danielotu@blumail.org
 
I wish you the best of the season and a prosperous 2011
 
Sincerely,
 
Mr. Daniel Ayodele Otumba

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