419 scam: "Abba Ghali"<annie@rilo.com.tw> ATTN: YOUR ACCRUED INTEREST PAYMENT.

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money transfer control number" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "lagos" (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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- abbaghali3@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Abba Ghali" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abbaghali3@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 11:19:33 -0700
Subject: ATTN: YOUR ACCRUED INTEREST PAYMENT.

THE PRESIDENCY
OFFICE OF DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN
PRESIDENT & COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

{ATTN: ORDERING BENEFICIARY}

I AM DR ABBA GHALI, DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN PAYMENT, THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT MR PRESIDENT HAVE APPROVED THE SUM OF $1.5M USD

ACCRUED INTEREST PAYMENT IN YOUR FAVOR WHICH IS GOING TO COST YOU ONLY {$95} FOR FUND IMMUNITY SEAL OF TRANSFER AND CLEARANCE

REMITTANCE} THIS IS THE ONLY FEE YOU ARE GOING TO PAY AS DIRECTED BY MR PRESIDENT.

YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED TO FORWARD TO THIS OFFICE YOUR BANK DETAILS WHERE YOU WANT THIS PART PAYMENT OF $1.5M USD ACCRUED

PAYMENT WILL BE TRANSFER INTO OR YOUR HOME ADDRESS WHERE THE PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU THROUGH ATM INTER SWITCH CARD OR

CASH CONSIGNMENT DELIVERY AS WELL AS YOUR ID, TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.

BELOW IS THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE ONLY REQUIRED {$95} ONLY BY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AND SEND THE MONEY TRANSFER

CONTROL NUMBER AS SOON AS YOU FINISH SENDING IT FOR US TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY.

RECEIVER'S NAME:

ADDRESS: 60, BREADFRUIT STREET,
LAGOS ISLAND,
LAGOS NIGERIA

QUESTION: HOW ARE YOU?
ANSWER: FINE.

AMOUNT TO SEND; $95 ONLY

WAITING YOUR RESPONSE WITH THE MTCN SO THAT YOUR FUNDS CAN BE PROCESS AND RELEASE TO YOU EITHER BY BANK TO BANK WIRE

TRANSFER, ATM CARD OR CASH CONSIGNMENT DELIVERY, THEREFORE, YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS IF YOU WANT TO

RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS BY WIRE TRANSFER OR YOUR MAILLING ADDRESS IF YOU WANT IT EITHER BY ATM CARD OR CASH CONSIGNMENT DELIVERY

WITH A COPY OF YOUR VALID ID FOR PROPER IDENTIFICATION AND YOUR TEL/CELL PHONE NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.

DR ABBA GHALI.
DIRECTOR OF PAYMENT.
PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
MAY GOOD LORD BE WITH YOU AND FAMILY AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR LONG AWAITED PAYMENT THIS TIME IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

REPLY TO [abbaghali3@yahoo.co.jp].

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam