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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: hamedid@springhillfirm.com
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:57:11 +0000
Subject: REQUEST FOR AN URGENT BUSINESS


DEAR MADAM/SIR I AM A PROCUREMENT ACCOUNTANT WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PET=
ROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) AND A MEMBER OF CONTRACT TENDERS BOARD (CTB) OF T=
HE ABOVE NAMED CORPORATION. YOUR ESTEEMED ADDRESS WAS RELIABLY INTRODUCED T=
O ME AT THE NIGERIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN MY SEARCH FOR A RE=
LIABLE INDIVIDUAL/COMPANY WHO CAN HANDLE A STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTIO=
N WHICH INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF A REASONABLE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACC=
OUNT. THIS MONEY AMOUNT TO A TOTAL OF US$39,500,000.00 (THIRTY NINE MILLION=
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) ONLY.. MONIES TOTALLY THE SAI=
D AMOUNT WERE EXTRACTED FROM VARIOUS CONTRACTS AWARDED BY THE CONTRACT TEND=
ERS BOARD (CTB) OVER-TIME AS A RESULT OF OVER-INVOICING CONTRACT VALUE/AMOU=
NT MASTERMINDED BY A FEW AND CONCERNED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE RANK & FILE OF =
MINISTRY STAFF CADRE.. THE SAID AMOUNT AWAITING TRANSFER HAS BEEN DRAFTED T=
O REPRESENT FINAL PAYMENT FOR A CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED TO THE CORP=
ORATION (NNPC) SOME YEARS BACK. THE MONEY IS NOW FLOATING IN THE CENTRAL BA=
NK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AWAITING CLAIM BY A FOREIGN PARTNER WHICH STATUS WE NOW=
WANT YOU TO ASSUME. NOW IS THE OPTIMUM PERIOD TO CONSUMMATE THIS TRANSACTI=
ON FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE TO ALL CORPORATIONS TO PAY OFF ALL =
FOREIGN DEBTS. I THEREFORE SEEK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO REMIT THIS MONEY INT=
O YOUR PERSONAL/COMPANY'S ACCOUNT. IN MY LAST MEETING WITH OTHER OFFICERS I=
NVOLVED, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT 25% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE GIVEN =
TO YOU, 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES, WHILE 5% WILL BE USED TO REIM=
BURSE THE EXPENSES THAT MAY BE INCURRED IN THE PROCESSING OF THE TRANSFER. =
TO COMMENCE THE REMMITTANCE OF THIS FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT, WE WILL REQUIRE T=
O HAVE YOUR (1) BANKER'S NAME, ADDRESS AND ACCOUNT NUMBER YOU WISH TO USE F=
OR THE TRANSFER AND (2) THE COMPANY NAME YOU WISH TO USE AS BENEFICIARY TO =
CLAIM THE FUND. I ASSURE YOU THAT THE TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AS WE H=
AVE CONCLUDED EVERY ARRANGEMENT TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF EVERY ONE INVOLV=
ED. MORESO, ALL MODALITIES FOR THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY HAVE B=
EEN WORKED OUT WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE CENTRAL BANK OF=
NIGERIA TO FACILITATE THE REMITTANCE OF THIS MONEY TO YOUR DESIGNATED ACCO=
UNT. HOWEVER, I WOULD WANT TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE HONEST ENOUGH AND WILL N=
OT RAISE ANY MISGIVING ATTITUDE IN ANY ASPECT OF THE TRANSACTION, MOST IMPO=
RTANTLY, YOU WILL KEEP THIS TRANSACTION VERY CONFIDENTIAL SO AS NOT TO TARN=
ISH THE CONFIDENCE REPOSED ON THESE OFFICERS BY THE NATIONS FINANCIAL HOUSE=
. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US IN THIS REGARD UNDER THE CONDITIONS =
STATED AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED SHARING FORMULA AS AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE=
CONCERNED OFFICERS THEN PLEASE KINDLY SEND A LETTER OF WILLINGNESS THROUGH=
THE ABOVE FAX NUMBER FOR THE IMMEDIATE COMMENCEMENT OF THE REMITTANCE AND =
TO ENABLE ME SEND YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THE TRANSACTION. MEANWHILE, YOUR =
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED, AS I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPO=
NSE. PLEASE TREAT THIS INFORMATION AS CONFIDENTIAL. YOURS SINCERELY, IDRIS =
HAMED idrishamed882@gmail.com

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