419 scam: Ricky Williams <lojoga@upcmail.ro> Dear Sir/Madam!

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Ricky Williams <lojoga@upcmail.ro>
Reply-To: r.w@my0511.com
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 18:22:45 +0200 (EET)
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam!

Dear Sir/Madam!

I am Mr Ricky Williams, the Director of Contracts and Finance.

Allocations with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.I seek
your confidence and assistance in a business relationship for our mutual
benefits. In 2004, a contract was awarded to an American Contractor for the Turn
Around Service Maintenance of our four major refineries here in Nigeria and was
grossly over-invoiced up to the tune of $296,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and
Ninety Six Million United States Dollars).The total contract sum was
$260,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Sixty Million United States Dollars) but as
a result of the over-invoicing, it was raised up to $296,000,000.00USD (Two
Hundred and Ninety Six Million United States Dollars) and the contractor has
been fully paid i.e $260,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Sixty Million United
States Dollars).

We however seek your assistance and support to enable us transfer the remaining
sum of $36,000,000.00USD (Thirty Six Million United States Dollars) into your
bank account or any other reliable bank account in your country for possible
investments. The modalities to effect this transfer has been worked out as we
are going to use our position here to place you as the contractor who the
contract was awarded to and having accomplished the contract wish to apply for
the Balance. We shall scrap every detail of the former contractor and replace it
with yours to enable you apply for payments on our behalf as the beneficiary.

There are other documents to be obtained to support this transfer in your favour
while we are assuring you that there is no risk involved in this transaction as
all modalities will take the semblance of a real contractor. We have arranged to
compensate you with 50% of the total funds, setting aside 1% to cover all
expenses that might be incurred by both of us to facilitate the transfer into
your nominated bank account. The remaining 49% will be for us.

If this business proposal is okay by you, please kindly get back to so that I
will give you all the details you need to know to enable us facilitate the
release of the funds to your custody. It is expected that this transaction is
going to be concluded in the next 21 working days given your fullest
cooperation.

I wait to hear from you urgently.

Yours faithfully,

Ricky Williams.
Email; r.w@my0511.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam