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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
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.
- +2347030855075 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- orhenrygreen112@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Ban Ki-Moon" <smtp@co.org>
Reply-To: pastorhenrygreen112@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:53:07 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!! GOD BLESS YOU [ UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND
SECURITY ]

THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION IN CONJUNCTION =
WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFUNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN AFFILIATION WITH WORL=
D BANK. OUR REF: U.N/WBO/042UK/2015 NEW YORK Congratulations Beneficiary [1=
]United Nation goal to eradicate global poverty before 2020. [2]Financial s=
upport to individuals,family and organization with bright purpose to fund t=
heir project. [3]World,community,development. [4]Your email was submitted b=
y the all world email providers and was chosen through balloting system. [5=
]The beneficiary will sponsor the claim charges as regards the claim of you=
r fund. Hope all is well with you and Your family?, you may not understand =
why this mail came to you. In regards to the recent meeting between the Uni=
ted Nations and the Present United States Government to restore the dignity=
and Economy of the Nations,Base on the Agreement with the World Bank Assis=
tance to help and make the world a better place for all with the sole aim o=
f abolishing poverty. We have been having a meeting for the passed 7 months=
which ended 2 days ago. The National Central Bureau of Interpol enhanced b=
y the United Nations and Federal Bureau of Investigation have successfully =
passed a mandate to the current president of Nigeria his Excellency Preside=
nt Muhammadu Buhari to boost the exercise of clearing all foreign debts owe=
d to Foreigners and Compensate all that have lost their hard earned money t=
o the Nigeria Fraudsters. This email is to all the people that have been sc=
ammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND=
SECURITY have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$5,500,000 ( Fiv=
e Million Five Hundred United State Dollars) This includes every foreign co=
ntractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that ha=
ve had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed du=
e to Government problems,Contracts Sum, Lottery/Gambling etc.Your name and =
email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Teams of Economic and Fin=
ancial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI=
) observers and this is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed up=
on and have been signed. You are advised to contact Pastor Henry Green, as =
he is our representative in Nigeria contact him immediately for your CHEQUE=
worth the total sum of US$5,500,000 ( Five Million Five Hundred United Sta=
te Dollars) This funds are in DRAFT Form for security purpose ok? So he wil=
l send it to you via DHL courier company and you can clear the CHEQUE in an=
y bank of your choice in your country. Contact Him immediately for your che=
que Delivery with the following information. 1. Full name: 2. Your Country:=
3. Address where you want him to send the cheque(P.O Box not acceptable) 4=
. Telephone Number: 5. Fax Number: 6. Marital Status: 7. Occupation: 8. Sex=
: 9. Age: Person to Contact: Pastor Henry Green (contact agent) Email: past=
orhenrygreen112@gmail.com Phone Number: +2347030855075 Give him your File R=
eference (RE-1077-V) and you are free to contact him via telephone number, =
it will be better to call him and once you do that he will ask you of your =
File Reference number which is (RE-1077-V), this file reference number is v=
ery important and gives him access to get through to your file and email yo=
u back quickly once he confirms your email and your delivery details. Thank=
s for adhering to this instructions and once again accept our congratulatio=
ns. Good luck and kind regards, Making the world a better place, Mr. Ban Ki=
-Moon Secretary-General(UNITED NATIONS)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam