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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348036688555 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?John=20Mark?= <john_mark0227@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: johnmark_cbn@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:33:36 -0800 (PST)
Subject: YOUR URGENT REPLY NEEDED


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:john_mark0227@yahoo.com.co



- THIS IS CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) TELEX DEPARTMENT.TEL:234-80 36688555 LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON INHERITANCE PAYMENT. WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM AMERICA MR JOHNSON AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE INCLUDING YOUR ATTORNEY TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF. THIS YOUR FUND HAS BEEN CALLED BACK BY THEY CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA SINCE SEPTEMBER 2008 FROM HSBC BANK LONDON DUE TO THERE INABILITY TO HANDLE THE TRANSACTION.TODAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA TIME, MR SCHEMIRLAT AND YOUR NIGERIAN REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF ON YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS $15.5M USD.I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS THEY CAME WITH ALL OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING YOUR INHERITANCE FILE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER THEY PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS CHANGORI AND CHANGORI THAT'S MAKE US TO SUSPECT THEM, THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER IN THE APEX BANK NOW AND WE HAVE GIVEN A MANDATE TO RELEASE THIS FUND TO YOU BY THE PRESIDENCY.NOW WE HAVE REQUESTED THEM TO FORWARD A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU, INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) OF THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER.THIS THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK IN TWO DAYS TIME.THIS IS TO ENABLE US CONTACT YOU AND VERIFY HOW GENUINE THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE TO YOU, THOUGH THEY PROMISED TO PRODUCE THE POWER OF ATTORNEY ON THEIR NEXT VISIT TO THE BANK. I HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION IN OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD YOU PLEASE CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE MAIL, TO CONFIRM MATTERS BEFORE WE START TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY GIVE THEM THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE INHERITANCE FUNDS INTO THE SWITZERLAND ACCOUNT(UBS) AG BANKING SWITZERLAND.YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY, AND IN LINE WITH THE ENABLING DECREE OF 512 "A" IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES; THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE (NEIC) AND THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT ALL OVERDUE INHERITANCE PAYMENTS BE RELEASED THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO THE I.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONALITIES OF SERVICE TO OUR FOREIGN CAPITAL DEBTS. BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE PRESIDENCY TO HANDLE ALL PAYMENTS DUE TO FOREIGN INHERITANCE. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE DISREGARD ANY CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY COME TO YOU FROM ANY OTHER PERSON OR DEPARTMENT.IF YOU REALLY NEED THIS MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH YOUR FILE AND WE FIND OUT THAT YOU ARE THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE INHERITANCE FUND. PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE ACTION AND GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL NOW.YOU CAN CALL ME ON MY DIRECT LINE 234-80 36688555I AM WAITING FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION. YOURS FAITHFULLY, REV.JOHN MARKTELEX DEPARTMENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam