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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <muhammadbarkindo12@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 15:57:11 +0100
Subject: LET US HAVE A DEAL

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgcolor=#FFFFFF leftmargin=5 topmargin=5 rightmargin=5 bottommargin=5>
<FONT size=2 color=#000000 face="Arial">
<DIV>
From: The Desk of Muhammad S. Barkindo</DIV>
<DIV>
Group Managing Director of NNPC</DIV>
<DIV>
&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
Attention friend,</DIV>
<DIV>
This might not be in your line of operation, but please do not be apprehensive about my letter. I am Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and chairman, Contract Tender Board of same ministry vested with the power to award new contracts and to validate past contracts awarded by the rich Oil ministry (NNPC) from 2000 to date and recommend same for urgent payment also.</DIV>
<DIV>
During the last validation exercise some contracts were identified as over-invoiced to the tune of US$37 Million. This fund has been lying unnoticed since 2004, and as government official, it is dangerous for me to keep this amount of money here for security reasons because if the government knows about this it will cause a lot of problems for me. But I have recently concluded plans to pay this money to the bank account of a foreigner who is willing and capable to receive this money for our mutual interest.</DIV>
<DIV>
What I want is your cooperation in providing the needed bank account whereby you and I will benefit when this money is paid into your nominated bank account for the two us. At the conclusion of the transfer, you will be given 40% of the total amount and you will hold 50% in an account for me, while the balance 10% will be used to indemnify foreign expenses like taxes.</DIV>
<DIV>
In furtherance to this business, please reply urgently with your names and telephone numbers. You will be given further details as soon as we receive your response.</DIV>
<DIV>
&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
Yours,</DIV>
<DIV>
Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo</DIV>
<DIV>
Group Managing Director of NNPC.</DIV>
<DIV>
&nbsp;</DIV>
</FONT>
</BODY></HTML>

Anti-fraud resources: