419 scam: "Alhaji Umar Farouk Usman"<umarfaroukusmann@yahoo.cn> Mutual Benefit

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- +2347092578336 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alhaji Umar Farouk Usman" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <umarfaroukusman@yahoo.cn>
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:14:47 -0500
Subject: Mutual Benefit

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am contacting you at this time with all due respect, trust and humility. I am Alhaji Umar Farouk Usman, the director of logistics in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria. I have an offer that will help our financial stand for good.

This offer is a left over proceed from the amount used in paying foreign and local contractors for the just concluded presidential election in Nigeria and funds in respect is presently in a reserve account with a Bank in London, United Kingdom. It is a total sum of US$10,500,000.00 (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), and it will be shared between you and i in the ratio of 50% - 50%.

The only things needed for these us$10.5 million to be transferred into your account in less than 72hours are as follows:

1) A FULL BANK ACCOUNT COORDINATE.
2) PHONE, MOBILE AND FAX NUMBER(S).
3) FULL HOME ADDRESSES:
4) YOUR IDENTITY (INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVER’S LICENSE)
5) AGE, OCCUPATION AND NATIONALITY

If you are truly ready to make this deal with me, contact me immediately on the below telephone number(s) for further clarification on this business. Be assured that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will Protect you and i from any breach of the law. I look forward to hearing
from you.

Yours truly,

Alhaji Umar Farouk Usman
Tel: (+234) 7092578336

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam