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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:

Fraud email example:

From: john oboshi <mrjoboshi@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: mrjohnoboshi@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 11:26:59 -0700
Subject: DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE




FROM THE DESK OF:MR.JOHN OBOSHI
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

RE: YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED TO YOU.
ATTENTION:SIR/MADAM

YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $15.5M THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR
OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY
TELEX TRANSFER(KTT)-DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU 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 INFORMATIONS:
NAME JANET WHITE
BANK NAME: CITI BANK,YORK.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS
WOMAN IS FROM YOU PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF
URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL
NOT BEHELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.

THE RESERVE BANK
GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE,BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE
SENATECOMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITTANCE FUNDHAVE APPROVED
AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,
INTERNATIONAL
REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN
INHERITTANCE FUNDS THIS FIRST QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.

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.CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

BEST REGARDS,
FROM THE DESK OF:MR.JOHN OBOSHI
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE


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