419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
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.
- +447035900133 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447011153130 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- customers_care_department@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec)" <ofid@opec.com>
Reply-To: customers_care_department@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:57:00 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Office Of The Secretary General,
Opec Fund For International Development.

The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Fund For
International Development (Ofid)
Parking 8,A-1010 Vienna, Austria

Press Secretary: Nicolas Parker
Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid)
United Kingdom Administrative Office,
363 Springfield Road. Chelmsford, Essex,
CM2 6AW, London
Tel: +44 701 115 3130
Tel: +44 703 194 6027
Www.Opecfund.Org

Attn: The Secretary General, Opec Fund For International Development.

Dear Beneficiary! !! Congratulations As We Bring To Your Notice The
Results Of The 2009 Grant Global Donation In The Opec's 17th Extraordinary
Meeting Which Took Place In London, United Kingdom 1st May. 2009 And Your
Email Address Was Selected Through A Computer Ballot System.

We Are Happy To Inform You That Your Email Address Has Made You One Of The
World Ten (10) Beneficiary Of The Sum Of Five Hundred Thousand Great
Britain Pound Sterlings (£500,000.00). Opec Fund For International
Development (Ofid) Collects E-Mails Of People That Are Active On The
Global Internet And Selected Only Ten All Over The Continent Every Year
Through Electronic Balloting System Without Peoples Application Or Media
Advertisement.

However, Your Parcel Containing A Confirmable Bank Draft Of £500,000.00,
Has Been Registered With Speed Courier Service, United Kingdom. You are
required To Contact The Shipment Manager of Speed Courier Service With
Your Draft Identification Code: (Opec/Ofid/UK/09788) For Proof Of
Ownership.

Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid) Is Expected To Be Used By
Beneficiary For Human And Capacity Development Project Such As Education,
Business, Research Or Any Proposal That Will Positively Affect
Beneficiaries And Their Host Communities.

You Have To Contact The Speed Courier Service within 3-Working Days For
The Delivery Of Your Draft With This Information Bellow

Contact Information:

Full Name:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Telephone:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Age:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Occupation:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Address:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sex:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Country:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Nationality:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Draft Identification Code (Very Important) ,,,,,,

*******************************************************************************
Contact Person: Dr. Luther Nat
Manager, Shipment And Cargo Unit
Speed Courier International Courier Service, London
Email Address: customers_care_department@yahoo.com.hk
Phone: +447035900133
*******************************************************************************
You Keep Your Draft Identification Code (Opec/Ofid/UK/09788) From Any
Other Person To Avoid Double Claim And Disqualification. And You Can Call
The Opec Executives Any Time For Confirmation In Case Of Any Form Of Doubt
*****************************************************************************
Do Accept Our Hearty Congratulations:
Secretary General: Abdalla Salem El-Badri
Press Secretary: Nicolas Parker
Tel: +44 701 115 3130
Tel: +44 703 194 6027
******************************************************************************
A Brief History Of The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries
(Opec): The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Is A
Permanent,
Intergovernmental Organization, Created At The Baghdad Conference On
September 10– 14, 1960, By Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia And
Venezuela. The Five Founding Members Were Later Joined By Nine Other
Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia (1962) – Suspended Its Membership
>From January 2009; Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1962); United
Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973)
– Suspended Its Membership From December 1992-October 2007; Angola
(2007) And Gabon (1975– 1994). Opec Had Its Headquarters In Geneva,
Switzerland, In The First Five Years Of Its Existence. This Was Moved To
Vienna, Austria, On September 1, 1965.
*****************************************************************************
© 2009 Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries|Terms and
Conditions
***************************************************************************

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam