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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: "MR. BENSON UZO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bensonuzo206@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2013 16:58:13 -0400
Subject: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE- STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (F.M.P.R),
NEW FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, SHEHU SHAGARI WAY , ABUJA  .LAGOS ANNEX OFFICE, LAGOS- NIGERIA.
Tel: +234{809}1781745
 
ATTN: MANAGING DIRECTOR
 
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
 
                  REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE- STRICTLY  CONFIDENTIAL
 
I am Mr.BENSON UZO,General Manager Nigeria  National Petroleum Corporation and also an  Accountant with Federal Ministry of petroleum  Resources (FM-PR) and a member of a three-man  Tender Board in charge of contract review and  payment approvals. I came to know of you in my  search for a reliable person to handle a very  confidential transaction that involves the  transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign  account. It may sound strange but exercise  patience and read on. There were series of  contracts executed by a consortium Multinational  in the Oil industry in favor of Ministry of  Petroleum Resources among which was:
 
1. The extension of pipeline network within  Nigeria for crude oil, Down stream products  distribution and subsequent evacuation- US$ 195  Million.
 
2. Contract for the Turn around Maintenance (TAM)  of the various refineries in the country~ US$  152Million.
 
3. The construction of the Kaduna  Refinery, some  contractors where paid, while some has not been  paid by the Nigerian Government. Few days ago, the  president of the federal republic of Nigeria  called to the Aso-Rock Villa Abuja, where we head  meeting concerning contractors that has not been  paid their contract payments, after the meeting,  he then asked me to be in charge by preparing the  name of the contractors that needed to be paid  their contract payments
and then submit list to him for approval.
 
Why am writing you this mail, is for us to do a  deal, I will be approving the sum of  USD$35.5Million in your name and I want you to act  as one of the contractors owned by the Nigerian  Government, I will include your name in the file  to be submit to the presidency for approval and I  am prepared to give you 30% of the total sum after  this money is been transferred into your bank  account.
 
Sir/Madam, if you are willing to do this deal with  me, kindly contact me via the above telephone  numbers Tel: +234{809}1781745. EMAIL  bensonuzo206@aol.com  then I will now tell you the  next step that we are going to follow and what you  will be required to send.to enable me  start  immediate processing of all the paper works to  back up the claim of this USD$35.5M. Please dont  fail to include your private contacts details.  Please destroy this letter, if you are not willing  to do this deal with me. I will be investing my  own share of the money through your guide lines in  your country or if you have a company, I would  prefer to go into partnership with you. So please  treat this deal with utmost confidentiality if you  are willing to work with me in the venture, and  after all documentations, it will take just 7  banking  days to conclude .
 
Thanks
 
Yours Faithfully,
MR. BENSON UZO

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