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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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)
  • "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)
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • gubapatrick006@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: =?big5?q?Uba=20Patrick?= <ubapatrick006@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: patrickuba@latinmail.com
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 10:32:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re:I NEED YOUR UNDERSTANDING........


§Ú¦³·sªº¹q¶l¦a§}¡I§A²{¥i¹q¶lµ¹§Ú¡Gubapatrick006@yahoo.com.hk

From the desk of: Engr. Patrick Uba

Executive Director/Financial Controller

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC)

Falomo Office Annex Lagos Nigeria

DEAR FRIEND,

I am the financial controller of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).I and my colleagues are


ministry officials in charge of offshore remittance in this Corporation (NNPC). We are seeking your


assistance to transfer of Forty Two Million (US$42,000,000.00) to your account for further private


investment.This amount accrued from an over-invoiced contract amount for the construction of an Oil


Refinery Sub- stations in Nigeria in 1995 to expatriate companies. The contract was originally valued for


one Hundred and Twenty Seven Million United States Dollar US$127,000,000.00) but we manipulated


the figure to read one Hundred and Sixty Nine Million United States Dollars($169,000,000.00) The


extra $42,000,000.00 is what we want to transfer to your account.

This contract has been completely executed and the original contractors have been paid all their contract


bills less this $42,000,000.00 For your assistance, we have agreed to remunerate you with 30% because


it is impossible for us to claim the amount here in Nigeria without foreign collaboration. 5% has been


mapped out for any miscellaneous expenses incurred by either party during this business, and 65% for my


colleagues and myself. It may interest you to know that four years ago, a similar transaction was carried


out with one Mr. Kelvin Miller, the President of Craine International Trading Corporation at number 135


East 57th Street, 28th floor,New York.10022 with Mr. Kelvin disappeared into thin air when he received


the money. His Telephone and Telex numbers had been reallocated to other users by the time we arrived


New York for our share. This explains exactly why we will make a concrete agreement between you and


us, should you be willing to assist in this deal. All modalities to effect the payment and subsequent


transfer of this money have been worked out. This transaction is 100% risk free but rquires 100 percent


confidentiality.This is a golden opportunity which must not be allowed to slip out of any careless acts and


utterances. We chose you for this transaction because we believe that good friends can be discovered and


businesses such as this cannot be realized without trust. You can be rest assured that your security has


been considered before you were contacted.

I await your urgent response.

Best Regards,

Engr. Patrick Uba



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam