419 scam: "senator Mohammed Sani"<sensni22@yhoo.com.ph> Urgent Letter

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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:
- "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)
- "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "inland revenue" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
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.
- sensani2@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "senator Mohammed Sani" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sensani2@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 06:18:05 +0100
Subject: Urgent Letter

National Inland Revenue commission
Budgeting and Planning Section
Federal Ministry of Finance
Area 1 Garki FCT Abuja - Nigeria

I am senator Mohammed Sani, I am writing you this proposal in respect of some excess revenue collections from the Nigeria National Petroleum corporation (N.N.P.C) Foreign Crude Sales dept.The source of the excess revenue comes from crude oil sales and productions, collectible revenues from projects and foreign exchange rates. I can assure you that the revenue collection data register in my office is 100% tidy and has no trace.I personally discovered this via a revenue collection data register in my office during the previous military government led by Late General Sanni Abacha. The excess funds is amounting to $40M USD under the custody of Central Bank of Nigeria. Some panels of inquiries was set up by the government to check this excesses only to submit back report of credibility and accountability to the President.

Therefore,i want you to reason with me, as i am due for retirement next year after 36 years in active service, i am appealing to you now to be the beneficiary of this funds so that i can change the account code into your name within 24hrs of your commitment.

Now this funds is lying in a suspense account. But my position in Government forbids me from operating a foreign account or transferring fund. All the modalities to make sure that this transaction is successful and hitch free have been worked out.

Finally, this transfer will only take two weeks to get into your bank account,including the bank's approval papers. Please keep this proposal to your self very confidential, and please what is your commission for this project? Please i need to know so that we can commence as soon as you indicate interest,and do not forget to send me your personal telephone and fax numbers including mobile if any for direct communication.

I await your immediate response.

Yours faithfully

senator Mohammed Sani.
Chairman National Inland Revenue Commission.
CONTACT ME WITH THIS E-MAIL: sensani2@yahoo.co.jp

Anti-fraud resources:

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