419 scam: "Prof. MAURICE IWU" <prof.@rematinvest.ro> FROM: PROFESSOR MAURICE M. IWU

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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:

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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof. MAURICE IWU" <prof.@rematinvest.ro> (may be fake)
Reply-To: martin.darkwah@meta.ua
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:23:16 -0700 (MST)
Subject: FROM: PROFESSOR MAURICE M. IWU

MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL
FROM: PROFESSOR MAURICE M. IWU

DEAR FRIEND,

I GUESS THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU. I AM PROFESSOR. MAURICE M. IWU, THE CHAIRMAN
TENDER BOARD OF DIRECTORS INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
NIGERIA (INEC).

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN THE COURSE OF MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE PERSON WITH
WHO TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF
FUND VALUED SEVENTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
(US$17.2M) TO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS OR DRUGS. IT IS THE
PRODUCT OF OVER INVOICE ON CONTRACT AWARDED IN 2006 BY INEC, TO FOREIGN
COMPANIES FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS THAT WAS USED FOR 2007
ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA.

THE CONTRACT HAS LONG BEEN EXECUTED AND PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT
AMOUNT MADE TO THE FOREIGN CONTRACTORS LEAVING THE BALANCE OF $17.2M U.S
DOLLARS (SEVENTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) IN
A DORMANT ACCOUNT WHICH MY COLLEAGUES AND I NOW WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF
NIGERIA INTO A RELIABLE FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR OUR PERSONAL USE.

AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FOREIGN ACCOUNT MACHINERY
TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION. THEREFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO
SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS THE
ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE CONTRACT AND THE SAID CONTRACT SUM VALUED
US$17.2 MILLION.

MY DEAR, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE PRESIDENT,UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA HAS
ENDORSED THE BILL PASSED BY THE SENATE AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THAT ALL
FOREIGN CONTRACTORS OWED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA SHOULD BE
PAID, WE WILL SEIZE THIS GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE YOU AS ONE OF THE
CONTRACTORS TO BE PAID.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL KINDLY MAIL ME YOUR LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR OUR EASY
COMMUNICATION, BUT IF YOU CANNOT FOR ANY REASON HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION, I
SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN LINK ME TO A RELIABLE AND TRUST WORTHY
PERSON IN WHICH CASE YOUR INTEREST WILL BE PROPERLY PROTECTED.

I AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE FUND WITH YOU IN THE
FOLLOWING RATIO, 40% TO YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER, AND 60% TO US.

THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.

NOTE ALSO THAT THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS DOES NOT MATTER TO
THIS TRANSACTION AND THIS TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 7
WORKING DAYS SINCE ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY
PERFECTED FOR A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION.

I AM ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,
PROFESSOR MAURICE IWU,
CHAIRMAN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
NIGERIA (INEC).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam