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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
• 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.
  • +2348080964801 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mr_emarks012@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Elvis Mark <mrelvism65@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 05:40:47 -0400
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP -STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL





From The Desk ofMr. Elvis Mark.
NNPC Towers, Ikoyi,Lagos-Nigeria Hello Friend, REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP -STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Firstly, I must solicit your confidentiality. This is by virtue of its nature as being utterly "CONFIDENTIAL" and "TOP SECRET". Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. A bold step taken shall not be regretted I assure you.

I am Mr. Elvis Mark. I head a seven man tender board in charge of contract awards and payment approvals. I came to know of you in my search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential business transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring maximum confidence. My colleagues and I are top officials of Federal Government Contract Review and Award Panel. Our duties includes evaluation, vetting, and approval for payment of contract jobs done for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). We are therefore soliciting for your assistance to enable us transfer into your bank account the said funds. The source of the fund is as follow: During the last military regime here in Nigeria, this committee awarded a contract of US$400 Million to a group of five construction firms on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the maintenance and installation of turn-around equipments in the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries.
During this process my colleagues and I decided among us to deliberately over inflate the total contract sum of US$435 Million with the aim of sharing the remaining sum of US$35 million. Now the new government of Alhaji Umaru Yaradua has approved the sum of US$435Million for us as the contract sum, but since the contract is only worth US$400M the remaining US$35Million is what we intend to transfer to a reliable and safe offshore account, we are prohibited to operate foreign account in our names since we are still in Government. Thus, making it impossible for us to acquire the money in our name right now, I have therefore been delegated as a matter of trust by my colleagues to look for an oversea partner into whose account we can transfer the sum of US$35Million.
My colleagues and I have decided that if you/your Company can act as the beneficiary of this funds on our behalf, you or your company will retain 25% of the total amount (US$35Million) while 70% will be for us, (officials) and the remaining 5% will be used in offsetting all debts/expenses incurred by us during this transfer. We have decided that this transaction can only proceed under the following condition:
(a) Our conviction of your transparent honesty and above all that you treat this transaction with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.
(b) That upon Receipt of the funds you will release the funds as instructed by us after you've removed your share of 25%.

(c) That you will provide a foreign account where the funds will be transfered and also assist in transfering the said fund.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter using the bellow e-mail address or better call me on 234-808-096-4801 and I will bring you into the complete of this transaction when I've heard from you.
Your urgent response will be highly appreciated so as to enable us start the proccessing and procurement of all the LEGAL DOCUMENTS in your name and favor. Please do be informed that his business transaction is 100% legal and completely free from drug or money laundering and it is only trust can make the reality of this transaction. Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible Yours Sincerely, Mr. Elvis Mark.

NB: Please do not expose this proposal whatever your response is as this is strictly confidential. Kindly reply to mr_emarks012@yahoo.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam