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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: "Prof. Dr. Mrs Cynthia Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cynthia.williams00@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:51:14 +0100
Subject: YOUR OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS

FROM THE DESK OF: Professor Dr Mrs Cynthia Williams
    Executive. Director Payment Service
    Office of the Executive Governor,Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN),
    International Remittance Department,
    Corporate Headquarters: # CBN House, Tinubu Square,
    Eleke Crescent-Victoria Island, Marina,
    Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa.
    P.O. Box 55037 Falomo Ikoyi Lagos Island Marina.
    EMAIL:cynthia.williams00@yahoo.com
    TELEGRAM: CENBANK
    CABLES: CENBANK
    WEBSITE: www.cenbank.org
    ATTN: Honourable Beneficiary,
          YOUR OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS
    Attention. Beneficiary,
    This is to bring to your notice about the due process of your outstanding Contractual/Inherittance payment which was suspended by the Central Bank of Nigeria there by stopping the telex unit to pause the transfer of your contract/inherittance fund to your nominated bank account. As a result of this development, verification conducted by the Finance Ministry in conjunction with the Debt Verification Panel on you contract/inherittance case,your file has been endorsed for payment awaiting your confirmations.
    During the auditing and closing of all financial records of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),it was discovered from the records of outstanding foreign contractors due for payment with the Federal Government of Nigeria in the year 2010/2011 that your name and company is next on the list of those who will received their fund.
    Meanwhile, a woman came to my office few days ago with a letter,claiming to be your true representative. here are her information for you to confirm to this office if this woman is truly from you or not,so that  the federal government will not be held responsible for paying into the wrong account.
    NAME: MRS. JANET 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. you are requested to fill and send this information for verifications purposes so that your fund valid us$5.7m us dollars will be remitted into your nominated bank account. this fund is as a result of inheritance on your behalf. information needed from you for
 
    verification is as follow:
    (1) Your full name and address:
    (2) Your age and marital status:
    (3) Your occupation:
    (4) Your telephone/fax number:
    (5) Your nationality:
    As soon as we receive this, we will commence with all necessary procedures in other to remit this money into your account.I the Central Bank  Governor,Executive Board of Directors and the Senate committee for foreign over due inheritance fund have approved and accredited this reputable ministry, with the office of the minister of finance international remittance/foreign operations,to handle and supervise the transfer  of
    all foreign inheritance funds for this first quarter payment of the year 2012.
    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. We are sorry for any inconvenience the delay in transferring of this fund must have caused you.
    Yours Faithfully,
    Professor Dr Mrs Cynthia Williams
    Executive Director Payment Service ,
    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
    Website: www.cenbank.org
    CC: SENATE PRESIDENT
    CC: ALL FOREIGN PAYMENT OFFICES
    CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [FPD]
    CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION
    NB: Strictly forward all future e-mail correspondence to
    cynthia.williams00@yahoo.com  for proper attention and quick response to
    your payment, as it's ought to be attended to avoid delay.

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