419 scam: "NNPC"<engr.austen@nnpc.com.ng> Can you handle this with me?..

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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)
- "await your urgent response" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "NNPC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <austenoniwon82@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:55:39 -0800
Subject: Can you handle this with me?..

From: Engr. Austen Oniwon
Group General Manager (NNPC)

Dear Friend,

May I respectively invite your kind attention to this offer. Based on information gathered from a relevant source from the International Directory online in
which I was opportune to come across your contact. I am here to solicit your partnership in execution of this mutual business transaction.

My name is Engr. Austen Oniwon, Group General Manager (NNPC), I wish to inform you that during our verification exercise following the
deregulation process of my corporation. I discovered a deliberate inflated contract worth millions of US Dollars awarded by my corporation, executed
by a consortium of multinational foreign companies.

Consequently, I humbly request your gracious partnership towards the repatriation of the over inflated sum into an account to be nominated by you for
further private investment in your country. It is my sincere conviction that you will handle this transaction with absolute maturity and utmost sense of purpose.

Feel free to ask questions where you need further clarification.

I await your urgent response.

Yours faithfully,

Engr. Austen Oniwon
GMD Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam