Don't be fooled! Beware of Advance Fee Fraud
1 The Publicity campaigns by the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have
proved successful in sensitising the public about the menace of advance fee
fraud and the falsehood of claims that easy money could be made in Nigeria.
Consequently. the reported incidence of advance fee fraud (AKA. '419'). has
declined significantly. Nevertheless, there are still some people who have
continued to fall victim to the solicitations of advance fee fraudsters. This
warning is, therefore, specifically intended for the benefit of those misguided
people who, in the quest to make easy money at the expense of Nigeria, are
defrauded by international fraudsters.
2 The advance fee fraud is perpetrated by enticing the victim with a bogus 'business' proposal which promises millions of US dollars as a reward. The scam letter usually promises to transfer huge amounts of money, usually in US dollars, purported to be part proceeds of certain contracts, to the addressee's bank account, to be shared in some proportion between the parties. A favourable response to the letter is followed by excuses why the funds cannot be remitted readily and subsequently by demands for proportionate sharing of payments for various taxes' and 'fees' supposedly to facilitate the processing and remittance of the alleged funds. The use of fake Government, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. etc. documents is a common practice.
3 The fraudsters usually request that the transaction be done under the cover of confidentiality. Sometimes, the 'victims' are invited to Nigeria where they are given red carpet reception and attended to by the fraudsters, posing as Nigerian Government officials. Quite often the fraudsters invent bogus Government committees purported to have cleared the payments. Also, it is not unusual for them to contrive ake publications in the newspapers evidencing purported approvals to transfer non-existent funds.
4 To consummate the transaction, the 'victim' would be required to pay 'advance fees' for various purposes: e.g. processing fees, unforeseen taxes, licence fees, registration fees, signing/legal fees, fees for National Economic Recovery Fund, VAT, auditfees, insurance coverage fees, etc. The collectionof these advance fees is actually the real objective of the scam!
5 A recent variant of thes cam directed primarily at charitable organisations and religious bodies overseas involves bogus inheritance under a will. Again the sole aim is to collect the advance fees' already described above. A new strategy that has also been used to defraud the 'victims' is an offer to use chemicals to transform ordinary paper into United States dollar bills, which would be subsequently shared by the parties.
6 You are again warned in your own
interest not to become yet another dupe to these fraudulent solicitations or
schemes.
Genuine and prospective investors in Nigeria are
advised to consult their home Chambers' of Commerce and Industry. or Nigeria's
Chambers' of Commerce and Industry, Manufacturers Associations of Nigeria,
Federal Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Nigerian Missions in their
countries of origin, their embassies or High Commissions in Nigeria for proper
briefing and advice.
7 Central Bank and indeed, the Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and should not be held responsible for bogus and shady deals transacted with criminal intentions. As a responsible corporate body, the Central Bank of Nigeria is once again warning all recipients of fraudulent letters on bogus deals, that there are no contract payments trapped in the bank's vaults. They are once again put on notice that all documents appertaining to the payment, claims, or transfers purportedly issued by the bank, its senior executives or the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the various purposes described above are all forgeries, bogus and fraudulent.
8 Please join the Central Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria to fight the criminal syndicates who play on the gullibility and greed of their victims by reporting any solicitation to your local law enforcement agencies or the local International Police Organisation (Interpol).
9 You have been warned several times before! You have been warned again!!
SAMPLE 1
FAX#: 234-1-7595783
TEL/FAX 234-1-2881489
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
27-06-00
ATTN: THE PRESIDENT
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Dear Sir,
I am Mr. ___________, a senior accountant with the
NationalElectric Power Authority (NEPA). I came to know of you in my search fora
reliable and reputable institution/person who can handle a very
strictly,confidential transaction which involves transfer of a reasonable sum
ofmoney to a foreign account.
Presently, there is Twelve million United States
Dollars($12,000,000.00) only, in my department awaiting remittance.
I was a member of the contract award committee that monitoredthe
award and execution of a contract of US$145M by a foreign firm,my
colleagues and myself over invoiced this contract and declared US$145M.
After the successful execution of the contract, and theoriginal
contractor paid his US$145M, we now have US$12M that we can onlyclaim with the
assistance of a foreign firm.
I now seek if you would permit the said funds to be remittedinto
your personal company account, so that the money so remitted willbe shared
mutually among the parties concerned, including you.
However, I would wish to receive your personal assurancethat you
would not sit on the money when it goes into your account. Moreimportantly, you
keep confidential this transaction, in order not to tarnishthe confidence
reposed in the officials involved in this transaction,
Tentatively, we have agreed that 70% of the money goesto the
officers where this money originated, 20% to the owner of the account,while 10%
would be used to defray whatever expenses that may be incurredin the course of
this transaction.
You are expected to forward to me through the above
telefaxnumber, the following details:
(a) Name of bank where you want the money to be transferred;
(b) Account number and name of the account:
(c) Bank address, telephone, fax and telex number;
(d) Your personal telephone and fax number
Be informed that on the completion of this business, Iwill
use my share of the money to procure goods from your company or anycompany you
may introduce.
Do not contact your bank yet because payment justificationis
going to be provided by the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA to your bank.
Finally, on acceptance of this request, please reply
throughthe above fax number 234-1- 7595763
Tel/fax 234-1-2881498. This is to guarantee the
confidentialityof your interest.
Best regards,
MR. ________________
SAMPLE 2
TELEPHONE.23490406408.
16/07/2000
FAX NO. 23417591108.
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
ATTN;THE PRESIDENT/CEO
RE: CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL
HAVING CONSULTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES, AND BASED ON
THEINFORMATION GATHERED FROM
AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION HERE IN NIGERIA, I HAVETHE
PRIVILEGE TO REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF TWENTYSEVEN MILLION,
FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($27.4 U.S DOLLARS)INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
THE ABOVE SUM RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED CONTRACTEXECUTED, COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS (5 YRS) AGO BY A FOREIGNCONTRACTOR. THIS ACTION WAS HOWEVER INTENTIONAL AND SINCE THEN THE FUNDHAS BEEN IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, OUR APEXBANK. WE ARE NOW READY TO TRANSFER THE FUND OVERSEAS, AND THAT IS WHEREYOU COME IN.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO INFORM YOU THAT AS CIVIL SERVANTS WEARE FORBIDDEN TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNTS; THAT IS WHY WE REQUIRE YOURASSISTANCE. THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE SHARED AS FOLLOWS: - 70% FOR US, 25%FOR YOU AND 5% FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES INCIDENTAL TO THE TRANSFER.
THE TRANSFER IS RISK FREE ON BOTH SIDES. I AM AN ACCOUNTANTWITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (N.N.P.C). IF YOU FINDTHIS PROPOSAL ACCEPTABLE, WE SHALL FAX YOU A FOREIGN CONTRACTOR APPLICATIONFORM WHICH YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE AND FAX BACK TO US.
THIS BUSINESS WILL TAKE US 30 WORKING DAYS TO ACCOMPLISH.
FOR SECURITY REASONS ALL CORRESPONDENSE SHOULD BE DIRECTEDTO MY EMAIL ACCOUNT.
PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY.
BEST REGARDS,
MR _____________-
SAMPLE 3
DEAR SIR,
COMPLIMENTS OF THE NEW MILLENIUM. GRACE AND PEACE ANDLOVE FROM THIS PART OF THE ATLANTIC TO YOU. I HOPE MY LETTER DOES NOT CAUSEYOU TOO MUCH EMBARRASSMENT AS I WRITE TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH. BASED ON THECONTACT ADDRESS GIVEN TO ME BY A FRIEND WHO WORKS AT THE NIGERIAN EMBASSYIN YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE EXCUSE MY INTRUSION INTO YOUR PRIVATE LIFE.
I AM BARRISTER __________, SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA(SAN). I
REPRESENT MOHAMMED ABACHA, SON OF THE LATE GEN. SANI ABACHA, WHOWAS THE FORMER
MILITARY HEAD OF STATE IN NIGERIA. HE DIED IN 1998. SINCEHIS DEATH, THE FAMILY
HAS BEEN LOOSING A LOT OF MONEY DUE TO VINDICTIVEGOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO ARE
BENT ON DEALING WITH THE FAMILY. BASED ONTHIS THEREFORE, THE FAMILY HAS ASKED ME
TO SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER WHOCAN WORK WITH US AS TO MOVE OUT THE TOTAL SUM
OF US$75,000,000.00 ( SEVENTYFIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ), PRESENTLY IN
THEIR POSSESSION. THISMONEY WAS OF COURSE, ACQUIRED BY THE LATE PRESIDENT AND IS
NOW KEPT SECRETLYBY THE FAMILY. THE SWISS GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY FROZEN ALL THE
ACCOUNTSOF THE FAMILY IN SWITZERLAND, AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD SOON
FOLLOWTO DO THE SAME. THIS BID BY SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO DEAL WITH
THISFAMILY HAS MADE IT NECESSARY THAT WE SEEK YOUR ASSISITANCE IN RECEIVING THIS
MONEY AND IN INVESTING IT ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.
THIS MUST BE A JOINT VENTURE TRANSACTION AND WE MUSTALL WORK
TOGETHER. SINCE THIS MONEY IS STILL CASH, EXTRA SECURITYMEASURES HAVE BEEN
TAKEN TO PROTECT IT FROM THEFT OR SEIZURE, PENDING WHENAGREEMENT IS REACHED ON
WHEN AND HOW TO MOVE IT INTO ANY OF YOUR NOMINATEDBANK ACCOUNTS. I HAVE
PERSONALLY WORKED OUT ALL MODALITIES FOR THE PEACEFULCONCLUSION OF THIS
TRANSACTION. THE TRANSACTION DEFINITELY WOULD BE HANDLEDIN PHASES AND THE FIRST
PHASE WILL INVOLVE THE MOVING OF US$25,000,000.00( TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ). MY CLIENTS ARE WILLING TOGIVE YOU A REASONABLE PERCENTAGE OF
THIS MONEY AS SOON AS THE TRANSACTIONIS CONCLUDED. I WILL, HOWEVER, BASED ON THE
GROUNDS THAT YOU ARE WILLINGTO WORK WITH US AND ALSO ALL CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
DISCUSSED BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENTOF THIS TRANSACTION. YOU MAY ALSO DISCUSS YOUR
PERCENTAGE BEFORE WE STARTTO WORK. AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU, I
WILL GIVE YOU ALL NECESSARY DETAILS AS TO HOW WE INTEND TO CARRY
OUT THE WHOLE TRANSACTION. PLEASE, DO NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEARS, AS ALL NECESSARY
MODALITIES ARE IN PLACE, AND I ASSURE YOU OF ALL SUCCESS AND SAFETY IN THIS
TRANSACTION.
PLEASE, THIS TRANSACTION REQUIRES ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY AND YOU WOULD BE EXPECTED TO TREAT IT AS SUCH UNTIL THE FUNDS ARE MOVED OUT OF THIS COUNTRY.
PLEASE, YOU WILL ALSO IGNORE THIS LETTER AND RESPECT OUR TRUST IN YOU BY NOT EXPOSING THIS TRANSACTION, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
YOU CAN CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY ON TEL/FAX NUMBER 234 1775 3417 OR E-MAIL ADDRESS: IKEODILI@MAILCITY.COM .
I LOOK FORWARDS TO WORKING WITH YOU AND PRAY THAT THEYEAR 2000 WILL BRING US ALL BOUNTIFUL HARVEST.
THANK YOU.
TRULY YOURS,
BARRISTER ___________