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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found 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.
  • paulabu012@yahoo.co.in

Fraud email example:

From: "DR.PAUL ABU" <paulabu01@msn.com>
Reply-To: paulabu012@yahoo.co.in
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 23:07:34 +0000
Subject: Petroleum Corporation

>From The Desk of: Dr Paul Abu
Committee Chairman Presidential Task
Force On Petroleum.
Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC]
Nigeria-Lagos

Dear Sir,

Compliment to you and your family.

I hope this mail will not be a surprise message to you; my name is Dr Paul
Abu committee chairman
Presidential Task Force on Petroleum, the committee was set up by the
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to supervise the sales and awards of
Crude oil lifting contract through the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) We have excess money amounting $28 million United States
Dollars which we want to invest overseas, the excess sum was realized from
sales of Nigerian Bonny Light Crude Oil above the government regulated price
margins, as a result of fluctuations of world oil price, which accurate
sales figures were never rendered to government by the committee, This money
is already with the security company overseas, we would not like to return
the money back home as we like to invest this funds overseas with the help
of reliable God fearing person.

If you are interested in the proposal, please reply through my private email
I D (paulabu012@yahoo.co.in)To be part of this transaction, we promise to
give you 30%, while 60% will be for the committee, the remaining 10% will be
used to take care of all the expenses that might be incurred by both parties
during this transaction.

In case if you are not interested, you should let me know immediately so
that I would be able to look for another person.

Thanks and God bless,

Regards,

Dr.Paul Abu.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam