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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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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "contract review panel" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +2348063043430 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Paymaster=20General=20CBN?= <paymastergeneralc@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: revjohnobi2008@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:54:45 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URGENT INFORMATION.


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



- FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY PAYMASTER GENERAL ASO ROCK VILLA, ABUJA NIGERIA TEL: 234-806-3043430 OUR REF: PG/FRN/0015/2008 DEAR SIR/MADAM RE: VISITATION OF CONTRACT FUND ON MEETING HELD WITH SENATE OMMITTEE, CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL IN THE PRESIDENCY ON JANUARY 5TH, 2008, ASO ROCK VILLA, ABUJA.WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE ON PAYMENT OF OLD DEBTS ESPECIALLY APPROVED BY THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AND HAS BEEN DUE FOR PAYMENT BUT DELAYED. THE SENATE COMMITTEE CONFIRM THEIR MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENCY AS ABOVE THUS: ALL DUE CONTRACT VALUES APPROVED DIRECTED TO THIS OFFICE FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC SYSTEM. WE THEREFORE INFORM YOU THAT THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL TO PAY YOU PART PAYMENT (US$10) TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS OUT OF YOUR TOTAL CONTRACT SUM, ANY PAYMENT SUBJECT TO IMPRESS ACCOUNT 1 IS CANCELLED. WE HEREBY CONFIRM TO YOU THAT BASED ON THE MEETING/DIRECTIVE ABOVE WITH THE PRESIDENCY, APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ALL DUE VALUE TO BE PAID BY CASH PERSONALLY TO THE BENEFICIARIES OR SEND BY SPECIAL COURIER SERVICES. HOWEVER, IT IS OWING TO SERIES OF IRREGULARITIES AND MANIPULATIONS NOTED IN THE PAYMENT OF FOREIGN DEBTS IN RECENT TIME, THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS DECIDED TO PAY ALL HER CREDITORS IN THE MOST SECURED AND SPECIAL MANNER IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY UNDUE MANIPULATION AND DISTORTION. ALSO OUR APEX BANK HAS ACCUMULATED HUGE DEBTS DURING THE MILITARY ERA.THESE OWED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA (FGN) AFFILIATED OFFICES OR THEIR OFFSHORE CORRESPONDENCE OVERSEAS WAS INCURRED IN THE COURSE OF PAYMENTS BY TRANSFER TO FOREIGN CREDITORS. FOLLOWING THIS DEVELOPMENT, THIS OFFICE WAS WARNED OF THE TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER OR PAYMENT BY DRAFT ESPECIALLY RECEIVING THE TRANSFER PROCEDURE THAT INFERS TO COLLECTION OF TRANSFER FEES, HANDLING FEES, ETC, FROM BENEFICIARIES FUND BEFORE MAKING SUCH PAYMENTS. THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO PAY ALL DUE CLAIMS THROUGH A SPECIAL COURIER SERVICE (SEA AND AIR DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE). YOUR CONTRACT SUM DEPOSIT ENTITLEMENT IS TO BE PACKED CASH IN DIPLOMATIC BOX AND SEND TO YOU AS DIPLOMATIC LUGGAGE. THE COST OF DISPATCHING THIS LUGGAGE WILL BE SUBTRACTED FROM YOUR CONTRACT FUND. IN FACT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA HAS MAPPED OUT ZERO POINT FOUR PERCENT (0.4%) FROM YOUR TOTAL CONTRACT FUND TO OFFSET THE AIR FREIGHT BILL BEFORE THE MONEY IS SEALED IN THE IRON BOX. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND THE FIRST TWO PAGES OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT AND A CONFIRM ADDRESS AGAIN WHERE THE BOX CONTAINING THE WHOLE FUNDS WILL BE MAILED TO YOU, DO ALSO SEND YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE FOR NECESSARY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COURIER COMPANY ON THEIR TRANSIT SUCH THAT THERE WILL BE NO MISTAKE.YOUR IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE IN SENDING THE NEEDED ADDRESS AND NUMBERS IS QUITE IMPERATIVE TO ENABLE THIS OFFICE COMPLETE HER PROMPT OBLIGATION. YOURS FAITHFULLY, REV. JOHN OBI PAYMASTER GENERAL

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam