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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:
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031906285 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448700685717 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Bakari Bashir" <bbashir@wanadoo.es> (may be fake)
Reply-To: bbashir@voila.fr
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2006 07:58:30 +0100
Subject: ENQUIRIES

Dr. Bakari Bashir.
Petroleum and Pipeline Marketing Board,
PPMB/NNPC Liaison Office,
#159 Hammersmith Road,
London, W6 8BS.
Direct Tel: +44-8700685717/8700687908/8700689231
Fax: +44-8700688925/8700686956
Weekend Fax: +44-7031906285

Date: 06/09/06

Dear Sir,
I am using this only secure and confidential medium available to me to seek your assistance in a project of mutual benefit. Even though we do not know each other before, but I know that trust is earned and it is not given out lightly. Also I know that almost all international transactions are done on trust.

I am Dr. Bakari Bashir, Principal Liaison Officer/Director, Petroleum and Pipeline Marketing Board, which is the international sales unit of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. My office monitors the sales of crude oil and petroleum products to foreign dealers here in London International Petroleum Exchange.

I have US$31.5million, which resulted from allocation of excess crude oil to foreign buyers which have been sold but which money is not entered in the financial statement of the Marketing board. This money is in the suspense account of the PPMB with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

However, the legislative arm of our government just set up a panel to look into the past activities of some government companies and parastatals. I cannot claim and lodge the money into my private bank account because in my country, public servants are not permitted to operate any foreign account in excess of five thousand US dollars. Now the idea is to have a foreign partner whom the money will be paid out to. I am therefore contacting you with a view to receiving this money on my behalf.

I intend to move the money through diplomatic means abroad, and I have perfected all arrangements towards that. It is the method by which privileged top government officials remove their fortunes and valuables to safety abroad. It makes it secret and therefore untraceable.
All I now need is an honest, reliable and trustworthy partner who can receive the money on my behalf and help me to invest it in your country. Please you must do this for me.
If you can assist me to receive this money, I will allow you to keep 15% of the total amount as your compensation/share, and I will use the rest for investments in your country under your guidance.

Call or mail immediately to furnish me with your full names and address, your company's name, your private telephone and fax numbers for easy communication and 2 first pages of your international passport or any form of identification of your good self. The above information would be used to make formal applications as a matter of procedure for the release of the money to you as the bona-fide beneficiary. I assure you that the transaction will be concluded in 7 working days. There is no risk whatsoever involved.
Once the business is successfully concluded I shall use my contacts in the records department here to withdraw all official documents used for the transfer from all the concerned Government Ministries for 100% security on our side.

NOTE: Let absolute honesty, sincerity, confidentiality, reliability and trust be our watchword throughout this transaction considering my official position here. Treat as strictly confidential for obvious reasons you know I am still in service.

I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation as I look forward to a healthy business relationship with you now and in future.
Please reply me urgently at: bbashir@voila.fr
Or you can send me facsimile through any of my above stated fax numbers.

Warm regards,

Dr. Bakari Bashir

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam