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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. ERNEST C EBI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ernestebi100@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:25:05 +0100
Subject: RE: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT ORDER.

FROM THE DESK OF DR ERNEST C. EBI
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN PAYMENT,
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (C.B.N)
TINUBU SQUARE LAGOS-NIGERIA.
MOBILE TEL: (+234)(8077440006)
OFFICE TEL: (+234)(7090836757)

OUR REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/2010.


ATTN: BENEFICIARY.


RE: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT ORDER.
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE/LOTTERY WINNING FUNDS HAS FINALLY BEEN GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED VIA KEY-TELEX TRANSFER(KTT)/DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUND PAYMENT. THIS IS FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT (MR. OBAMA) DURING HIS VISIT TO AFRICA. HE INSTRUCTED THAT ALL THE AFRICAN NATIONS DO THEIR BEST TO PAY OFF ALL THE FOREIGN DEBTS IF AFRICA IS TO RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE, THIS TRANSFER HAS BEEN SCHEDULED TO TAKE EFFECT WITHIN THE NEXT 4 WORKING DAY UPON CONFIRMATION OF THIS MESSAGE WITH YOUR DETAILS.


MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. SHE SAID THAT YOU HAVE ASKED HER TO REPRESENT YOU IN CLAIMING THE FUNDS ON YOUR BEHALF.HERE IS THE INFORMATION SHE FORWARDED FOR THE TRANSFER OF YOUR PAYMENT:

NAME JANET T. WHITE
BANK NAME: CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS: ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428

PLEASE DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME. IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REP, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO RECONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION! BY FILLING THE SPACES BELOW AND FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR FUND VALUED FOR (US$10,000,000.00) TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.

1. YOUR NAME:.............
2. COMPANY'S NAME:.........
3. YOUR ADDRESS:...............
4. YOUR TEL:..................
5. FAX:............

AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE YOUR RESPONSE AND THE CONFIRMATION, WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY PROCEDURES IN OTHER TO REMIT THIS PAYMENT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OR THAT OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.

HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS. WHITE IF WE DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 2 WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE AND DELAY THIS TRANSACTION MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR. ERNEST C. EBI
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN PAYMENT,


CC: GOVERNOR CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
CC: THE NIGERIAN SENATE COMMITTEE.
CC: FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA.

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