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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:
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "abuja" (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: paulsilas9@googlemail.com
Reply-To: paul_silas3@live.com
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 11:45:50 +0100
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL


FROM DESK OF PAUL SILAS
INEC OFFICE FEDRAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA
NO 2 Olusegun Obasanjo Way , Area 10, Garki, Abuja
PLEASE FOR THE INCREASE OF PRIVACY RESPOND TO MY DIRECT EMAIL(
paul.silas1@live.com )

ATTENTION,



I am PAUL SILAS,the Financial Director/Chief Account officer of Independent
NationaL Electoral Commission (INEC). This Organization (INEC) was in charge
of conducting Elections held in my country Nigeria on 14th and 21st of April
2007.Consequently, on April 2006, about US$90 Million was allocated to this
Agency by the past Democratic Administration that is Governing the Political
Sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the time. On disbursement
of the (US$90 Million) which was meant for the organization and execution of
the General Elections of 2007.

At the end of the whole exercise , only about US$55 Million of the total sum
was utilized in conducting all the election, leaving us my agency
(INEC),with a balance of US$35 Million .Having concluded all stages of the
Election and the Government-elect already in power, it was left for my
office to give account of all expenses incurred in conducting the
elections.While balancing the account,I and the Head of Auditing Department
(Audit Director INEC) who is my partner in this transaction have been able
to use our influential positions to inflate our supposed expenditure thereby
having the sum of US$21.5M (Twenty One Million,Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollars Only) left for us to disburse from the (INEC) treasury account with
the intention of transferring the funds out of the country to any reliable
foreign bank account pending when we shall come over to your country and
collect our percentage which we intend to specifically invest in your
country. We are particularly interested in investing our share of the fund
into Real Estate Business,this will also afford an opportunity of purchasing
good property/house good enough to accomodate my family and I,as I have
planned to resign from this position as soon as the fund is transfered into
your account. As the Chief financial Director of (INEC) I was in charge of
all the funds mapped out for the supply/contracts, I have already given a
break down of my expenses to the authorities concerned showing that out of
the US$90 Million mapped for the project,that US$13.5 Million was the
balance left in (INEC's) Purse.That means we have made it categorically
clear to them that the Total Expenditure was US$76.5Million, instead of the
official US$55 Million. Meanwhile,the US$21.5 Million which was acquired
through over invoicing is currently deposited with a Financial Institution
awaiting proper documentations and claims to transfer the said fund into
your designated bank account.

NOTE: Our reason for contacting you in this confidential transaction is due
to the fact that,as Top Civil Servant working under Government
Establishment/Corporation,we are not allowed to operate foreign account as
it is against the new Government Code of Conduct Bureau and based on this
difficult situation, we have no other option than to ask for your Assistance
in transfering this fund out.If you can handle this transaction for our
joint benefit, please get back to me on the phone number above so that I can
give you more details on this matter, as what is required now is to register
you as a Contractor who supplied Voting Materials to our Agency for the
April 14th 2007 Election (ie BALLOT BOXES/PAPERS)to enable the bank transfer
the fund in your favour immediately.

NOTE:Your business status does not matter in this transaction,what matters
is your ability to handle the amount of this magnitude. I want you to
understand that this transaction must be kept in utmost confidentiality and
secrecy because of my position here.

We will discuss the percentage due when we talk,i look forward to hearing
from you soon.

PLEASE FOR THE INCREASE OF PRIVACY RESPOND TO MY DIRECT EMAIL (
paul.silas1@live.com)
Yours sincerely,
PAUL SILAS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam