419 scam: Mr Jarvis Kosowan <brendan.chan@avaxx.com> THANKS

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "very 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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- jkosowan@consultant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Jarvis Kosowan <brendan.chan@avaxx.com>
Reply-To: <aandrewmotata@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2021 18:27:44 +0100
Subject: THANKS

Good Day, I am MR. Jarvis Kosowan a regional director in the project and pl=
anning department of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), I h=
ead a (7) man Tenders Board Committee in charge of contract award and Payme=
nt approvals. I came to know of you in my search for a reliable and reputab=
le person to handle a very confidential transaction, which involves the tra=
nsfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account. There were series of con=
tracts executed by a consortium of Multinationals in the oil industry in fa=
vour of the (NNPC) among which were; 1) The expansion of Pipeline network w=
ithin Nigeria for crude oil and downstream products distribution and subseq=
uent evacuation - US$2 Billion. 2) Contract for Turn Around Maintenance (TA=
M) of various Refineries in the country. 3) The construction of Storage Tan=
ks for Petroleum Product (Depots)-US$94 Million.The original value of of th=
ese contracts were deliberately over invoiced in the sum of Twenty Five mil=
lion, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars US$25,500,000.00) which h=
as recently been approved and now ready to be transferred. However the comp=
anies that actually executed the aforementioned contract have been fully pa=
id and the projects officially commissioned. Consequently, my colleagues an=
d I are willing to transfer the total amount into your account for subseque=
nt disbursement, since we as civil servants are prohibited by the Code of C=
onduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/or operating foreign ac=
counts in our names. Secret modalities have been worked out at the highest =
levels of the Ministry 0f Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria and the Presiden=
tial Task Force on Contract Payment for the immediate remittance of the fun=
ds within 10 - 14 working days subject to your satisfaction of the above te=
rms. Kindly write me ASAP (jkosowan@consultant.com) BEST REGARDS. Mr Jarvis=
Kosowan

Anti-fraud resources:

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