419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +447045742379 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barclays Bank Plc, UK" <jardiknas@pustekkom.kemdiknas.go.id>
Reply-To: "Barclays Bank Plc, London" <barclaysintldept@admin.in.th>
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 22:44:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: INSTRUCTIONS on how TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF
US$5,800,000.00

Barclay's Bank Plc, UK
1 Churchill Place
London, E14 5HP,
United Kingdom
http://www.barclays.co.uk

Dear Beneficiary,

We at this bank wish to congratulate and inform you that after thorough review of your funds transfer release documents with World Bank and the International Monetary Fund assessment report, your payment file was forwarded to my table for immediate transfer of a part-payment of your inheritance funds $5.8 Million USD (Five Million, Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only) to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us. I was just transferred here from the World Bank and came across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted RED, I took time to study it and found out that your funds was not released to you.

The only thing needed to release these funds to you is the NON-RESIDENTIAL CLEARANCE FORM CERTIFICATE which will be tendered to any of your nominated bank and the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) for clearance of the transferred amount in your bank account.

Once the NON-RESIDENTIAL CLEARANCE FORM CERTIFICATE is obtained, your funds will immediately reflect in your bank account, the certificate is all that is needed to complete this funds transfer to you.

The Audit reports given to us shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.

We therefore advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence outside this office since you do not have to pay any money or fee to receive your funds as you have met up with the whole funds transfer requirements.

The only thing required from you is to obtain the NON-RESIDENTIAL CLEARANCE FORM CERTIFICATE to enable us credit your account directly by telegraphic transfer or through any of our corresponding banks and send copies of the funds transfer release documents to you and your bankers for confirmation. Should you follow our directives, your funds will be credited and reflect in your bank account within three (3) bank working days from the day you obtain the Non-Residential Clearance Form Certificate.

For further details and assistance on this Remittance Notification, kindly
forward your

FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:

FULL NAME:

PERSONAL TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Directly to my private E-mail: alisamona@admin.in.th

Contact Telephone Number: +447045742379

We wait for your respond at the earliest.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Alisa Mona,
Head, International Banking Division.
Barclays Bank Plc. UK.
Tel: +447045742379
Fax: +448447741985

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam