419 scam: Billy Agha <billyagha855@yahoo.com> ATTN: SIR, CONTRACT NO. NNPC/PED/260W/X04/99

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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:
- "bank charges " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Billy Agha <billyagha855@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: engr_billyaghannpc@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 05:23:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTN: SIR, CONTRACT NO. NNPC/PED/260W/X04/99

Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC)
49 Road Close A House 14,
Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi,
Lagos Nigeria.
CONTRACT PAYMENT FILE NO.XX902/NNPC/99
CONTRACT NO. NNPC/PED/260W/X04/99
Dear Sir/Ma,

I am sorry for contacting you through this medium without any previous notice. I am a senior staff with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC). My colleagues and I, intentionally over-invoiced a contract awarded to a Chinese company in 1999 to the tune of USD$18.5 Million. All arrangements have been concluded on how to transfer this fund into a safe foreign account.

As you are required to forward to me your bank information:

1) The full address of you bank.

2) Your bank account number.

3) Your bank routing number.

4) Your bank Tel/Fax numbers

5) Your occupation,A copy of your working ID or your international passport,your private Cel Phone number.
As soon as i receive the above information,I will submit it for approval of payment of this USD$18.5 Million to be transferred into your nominated bank account,as we have only 7 working days to receive all the necessary approval documents for this funds to be transferred into your account as the beneficiary as you are entitled to 35% and we are entitled to 60% as 5% have been set aside to pay all bank charges that we will incure in the curse of transferring this funds into your nominated bank account.

As my duty is to making sure you receive this funds transferred into your account based on our scheduled time with 100% percent grantee success,once the fund is been transferred into your account all the approved documents will be desptached to you for your perusal.
Please treat with utmost confidentiality.

Best Regard,

Egnr: Billy Agha
Director of Contract Dept.

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