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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
  • "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "charles c. soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof Charles C.Soludo" <officem@mailbox.hu>
Reply-To: charles.dpt008@yahoo.co.th
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 16:37:06 +0100
Subject: YOUR OVER-DUE CONTRACT PAYMENT.


YOUR OVER-DUE CONTRACT PAYMENT.
From the Desk Of:Prof Charles Soludo
Executive Governor (CBN)
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/07
ATTENTION:SIR/MADAM,


THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZETTED
TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT) - DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU
OR THROUGH ANY OF OUR CORRESPONDENT BANK NOMINATED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE
FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER.


MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO
BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER INFORMATION�S FOR YOU TO
CONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE IF THIS WOMAN IS TRULY FROM YOU OR NOT SO THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO ANY WRONG
ACCOUNTS. CLAIM�S NAME: JANET WHITE BANK NAME: CITY BANK ARIZONA,
USA. ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6503809428. PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE, AS A
MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO FILL AND
SEND THIS INFORMATION�S FOR VERIFICATIONS PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR FUND
VALID US$10.M(TEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS) WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR
NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT ANY WHERE. THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF INHERITANCE ON
YOUR BEHALF.


INFORMATION NEEDED FROM YOU FOR VERIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. YOUR NAME:..............................
2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS:...................................
3. YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER ..................................
4. FAX...................................................
5. AGE......................................................
6. SEX:....................................
7. YOUR OCCUPATION:......................................
8. YOUR BANKING DETAILS:...................................


AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THIS, WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY PROCEDURES
IN OTHER TO REMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR,
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF) EXECUTIVE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND
HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE/FOREIGN OPERATIONS, TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER
ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR 2007.


HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID
MRS.WHITE,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS FROM
TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THE DELAY IN TRANSFERRING OF THIS
FUND MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.


CONGRATULATIONS.
YOURS SINCERELY,
PROFESSOR CHARLES C. SOLUDO
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
CC: FEDERAL HIGH COURT
CC: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY APPROVED STAMP 55/RR/TT.
CC: EFCC NIGERIA BATCH(NIG6454/INST7.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam