419 scam: Mohammed Abacha <mohammedabacha25@yahoo.com.ph> PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE

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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:
- "million us 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)
- "is highly confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Mohammed Abacha <mohammedabacha25@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: mohammedabacha77x10@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:50:08 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE

SIR,

BEFORE YOU READ THE FULL MESSAGE I WANT YOU TO VISIT THIS WEBSITE BELOW, WE NEED YOUR HELP

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3333557.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2282366.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1935631.stm

YOU MAY BE SURPRISE TO RECEIVE THIS VERY MAIL MESSAGE FROM ME, SINCE IT IS COMING FROM SOMEBODY YOU HAVE NOT MET BEFORE BUT HOWEVER I HAVE PERSONALLY DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU AS A FAMILY AND WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH TO HELP.

I AM MOHAMMED ABACHA, SON OF THE LATE NIGERIAN HEAD OF STATE ( GENERAL SANNI ABACHA) WHO DIED ON AN ACTIVE SERVICE. I AM 53 YEARS OLD. EVER SINCE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING OUR FAMILY FOR NO JUST CAUSE AND THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING THINGS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US. THEY SEIZE ALL MY FATHER'S PROPERTIES AND ALL ACCOUNT FROZEN, MY MOTHER HAS BEEN ON HOUSE ARREST FOR NO JUST CAUSE. BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID NOT KNOW THAT MY FATHER DEPOSITED $10.5 MILLION US DOLLARS IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.

PLEASE I WANT YOU TO HELP US BY DEPOSITING THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE SECURITY COMPANY WHERE THE FUND IS NOW CURRENTLY LYING HAS ADVISE US TO RELOCATE THE FUND BEFORE PEOPLE AND THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

PLEASE I WANT YOU TO HELP US BY SAVE GUARDING THE FUND SINCE OUR LAWYER HAS ADVISE THAT HE WILL TRY HIS BEST AS TO MAKE SURE WE RECEIVE THE FUND THROUGH THE SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE, PLEASE I WANT YOU TO HELP US TO SAFE THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

WE HAVE AS WELL COLLECTIVELY AGREED TO REWARD YOU WITH 35% OF THE TOTAL FUND IF ONLY YOU WILL BE WILLING TO HELP, AS YOU MAY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND VERY URGENT. I DON'T WANT ANY BODY IN NIGERIA TO HEAR ABOUT THIS THAT IS WHY I HAVE PERSONALLY DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU IF YOU CAN HELP US SAVE THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT HAS CLOSED ALL MY LATE FATHER'S LOCAL AND FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

PLEASE, REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOUR WILLING TO HELP US. SEND YOUR MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER, YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS. I WILL SEND YOU THE DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE AND AUTHORIZATION LETTER TO ENABLE YOU CLAIM THE FUND IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.

I AM WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY.

THANKS.
MOHAMMED ABACHA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam