419 scam: GNCP <webmail@Tunerltd.onmicrosoft.com> Transfer of Funds

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- drlucasmahama@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: GNCP <webmail@Tunerltd.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <drlucasmahama@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 14:37:47 +0100
Subject: Transfer of Funds

>From Engr.Lucas Diarra Mahama?
Chairman Contract Award Committee
Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)

Attention: Sir/Madam

URGENTLY AND EXTREMELY CONFIDENTIAL

By introduction, I am Engr.Lucas Diarra Mahama? and the Chairman of the Tender Board Committee which awards contract in the Department of Petroleum Resources of Ghana. I sent you email sometime ago informing you of our plan to transfer the sum of USD$8.6Million (Eight Million, Six Hundred Thousand US Dollars only) to your account, and have been waiting to hear from you ever since, but to no avail you hence this particular message by way of reminder.

I want you to know that these funds originated from an Over-invoiced contract sum which was awarded to a foreign firm in 2010. I and my other colleagues in the Tender Board purposely inflated the actual cost of the contract with the extra value of USD$8.6 Million. However, the original contractor has fully executed the contract, the project commissioned and the contractor paid his actual contract worth, leaving behind the over-invoiced sum which is US$8.6 Million. So, it is based on this that we now want you/your company to come forward to stand in and claim this sum on our behalf.

We are Civil Servants and by law, we are not allowed to operate foreign bank account while still in office, so you are to act as the one who had executed the contract worth the sum of USD$8.6 Million for my Department and you now want your payment settled. Remarkably, this deal is 100% risk free. We are perfectly in charge and had worked out modalities that would guarantee a hitch free transfer of this fund to your account fully free of any illegal act or encumbrances and are Clean, clear and non-criminal origin. I will guide you on how to go about it and we shall claim the fund without any difficulty.

If you are interested in the proposal, and you are a trustworthy person who would not sit on this money if it is transferred into your account, kindly indicate by contacting me through my E-mail and you can as well send your bank account details for this transfer. Please note that this deal must be kept absolutely confidential till we have concluded it. We have also mapped out 35% of the total sum for you for your help and assistance while the remaining is for me and my colleagues.

NOTE again that upon completion of this transaction, where as 35% is mapped out as your compensation for your involvement, we shall visit you immediately to collect and invest our shares in your country. Therefore, you will equally assist us to identify and advise us on any viable business which will have a good return on investment in your country. Please send your response through my private email address: drlucasmahama@hotmail.com for my urgent attention.

Thank you as I look forward to your anticipated co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Engr.Lucas Diarra Mahama?
Executive Chairman
Contract Award Committee
Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam