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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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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: williams odili fidelis <williams_fidelis00@easymail.hu>
Reply-To: williams_fidelis@o2.pl
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:11:56 +0200
Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR YRGENT RESPONSE


FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING
OBALENDE-IKOYI LAGOS.
FROM: WILLIAMS ODILI FIDELIS.




ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FOR TRANSFER OF US$25M AND ACQUISITION OF PROPERTIES (REAL ESTATES)


Dear sir

I am making this contact with you on behalf of my colleagues. I am a member of the TENDER BOARD COMMITTEE of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing of Lagos Nigeria.

Our duties includes: award, evaluation and review of contracts. In 2000, my committee (TBC) awarded a contract of US$150,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Million United States Dollars only) to a joint venture of SPEIBATIGNOLES and FOUGEROLLE, for an engineering, procurement, construction of pipeline network a Eleme Petro-Chemical plant. As it were, the acuta contract sum was deliberately over-invoiced by us (TBC) with the sum of US$25,000,000.00 (TWENTY-FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY).

The project was executed, commissioned and the contractor(s) paid accordingly. My colleagues and I want to transfer the over-invoiced amount into a viable foreign account. We have therefore resolved that as long as you can act as the sole beneficiary of the fund. The following will be the mode of sharing: 25% (i.e US$6.25M) for beneficiary i.e. owner of account, 10% for expenses incurred during the course of transfer, and 65% for us the officials. Let me reiterate at this juncture, that there are top and influential government officials involved in this transfer and as such I would appreciate it, if this business is treated with utmost confidentiality.

I do hope I can trust you as regards this matter. In the light of this, I would like you to forward to me the following information:


1. Your company name and address if any
2. Your personal fax number
3. Your personal telephone number for easy communication.


This will enable us to forward the information to the Corporation for purposes of processing and immediate remittance of this funds to the account that will be provided by you. All modalities have been worked out and the necessary machinery put in place with the officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to effect this transfer within the shortest possible time. It is worthy to note that this transaction is 100% risk free, my only fear is the confidentiality of this business from your end.

It is pertinent to note that only an expatriate firm can lay claim to this fund. We are barred from operating foreign accounts as civil servants still serving the government. As soon as the payment is effected, and the amount mentioned above is successfully transferred into your account, we intend to use own share in acquiring some properties (Real Estates) Abroad. For this too, you shall also serve as our agent. Please send your reply through this my email address and I shall send you my phone number as we progress.

Note that this E-mail is not one of those Internet jokes and should be treated with seriousness, utmost important and confidentiality. Your quick response will be highly appreciated. If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly destroy this letter, in view of the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and for the interest of the personalities involved.



Yours faithfully,

Williams Odili Fidelis

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam