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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. STANLEY LAWSON" <accounts@nnpcgroup.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: slnnpc80@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:34:47 -0700
Subject: Request

ATTENTION

CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL

HAVING CONSULTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND BASED ON THE
INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE NIGERIAN CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO REQUEST
FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF
$45,500,000.00 (FORTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) INTO YOUR ACCOUNTS.
THE ABOVE SUM RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED CONTRACT,
EXECUTED COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS
(5) AGO BY A FOREIGN CONTRACTOR. THIS ACTION WAS
HOWEVER INTENTIONAL AND SINCE THEN THE FUND HAS BEEN
IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
APEX BANK.

WE ARE NOW READY TO TRANSFER THE FUND OVERSEAS AND
THAT IS WHERE YOU COME IN. IT IS IMPORTANT TO INFORM
YOU THAT AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE FORBIDDEN TO
OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT; THAT IS WHY WE REQUIRE YOUR
ASSISTANCE. THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE SHARED AS FOLLOWS:
70% FOR US, 25% FOR YOU AND 5% FOR LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES INCIDENT TO THE TRANSFER.

THE TRANSFER IS RISK FREE ON BOTH SIDES. I AM AN
ACCOUNTANT WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION (NNPC). IF YOU FIND THIS PROPOSAL
ACCEPTABLE, WE SHALL REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

(A) YOUR BANKER'S NAME, TELEPHONE, ACCOUNT AND FAX
NUMBERS.

(B) YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS -- FOR
CONFIDENTIALITY AND EASY COMMUNICATION.

(C) YOUR LETTER-HEADED PAPER STAMPED AND SIGNED.

PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY.

BEST REGARDS
MR. STANLEY LAWSON
GED, FINANCE & ACCOUNTS

You received this mail from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Please do not reply to this
message and if you are not the recepient this mail is meant for, do ignore it. To learn more about Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, please visit us at http://www.nnpcgroup.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam