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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "tunde lemo" <tundelemo11@msn.com>
Reply-To: t_lm1@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 09:45:07 +0000
Subject: RE: LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON CONTRACT PAYMENT.

FROM: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL
REMMITANCY/ TELEX DEPARTMENT.

DEAR SIR/MADAM
CONPLIMENT OF THE SEASONS
RE: LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON CONTRACT PAYMENT.

WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM LEBANON MR AUDU
MOHAMMED AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
(CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF.

LAST WEEK FRIDAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA TIME, MR AUDU MOHAMMED AND YOUR
NIGERIAN REPRESENTATIVE WALKED INTO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM
TO CHANGE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND PUT CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF OF YOUR CONTRACT
SUM. I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS
A MATTER OF FACT WHEN THEIR FILE WAS CHECKED ALL THE OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS
WAS INTACT, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING OF YOUR OWN FILE WITH US WE FOUND SOME
MANIPULATION IN THEIR FILE IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT
NUMBER PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS AND THE BENEFICARY OF
THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS CHANGORI AND CHANGORI WHICH MADE US TO SUSPECT
THEM.

INVIEW OF THIS, YOU NEED TO RECONFIRM INFORMATION BELOW TO ASCERTAIN IF THE
CONTRACT INFORMATIONS ARE CORRECT OR NOT, ALSO RECONFIRM YOUR BANKING
INFORMATION TO US TO AVOID MISTAKE IN TRANSFER.

1) CONTRACT NUMBER: NNPC/KADREF/00453/PED-1998
2) CONTRACT AMOUNT: $28.4M

AS SOON AS YOU RECONFIRM ABOVE INFORMATION TO US, WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO
TRANSFER YOUR CONTRACT SUM INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT AS WE HAVE BEEN
GIVEN A MANDATE BY THE PRESIDENCY TO RELEASE ALL CONTRACTORS FUND UNDER
72HOURS PENDING THE TIME HE/SHE COMPLIES TO THIS NOTICE.

ACCORDING TO OUR ATTORNEY, YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD A
POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU, INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) OF
THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER UNTIL THIS MOMENT WE NEVER SEE THEM, COULD YOU
PLEASE TELL THIS BANK IF YOU WERE THE PERSON SENT THIS TWO GENTLE MAN FOR
THIS MISSION.

WE HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION
IN OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD YOU
PLEASE CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE EMAIL,, TO CONFIRM THIS MATTERS
BEFORE WE START TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY GIVE
THEM THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE CONTRACT FUNDS INTO

THE BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA (BBV) URB.
JARDINES DEL PUERTO-LOCAL 8,E-29600
PUERTO JOSE BANUS, MARBELLA - SPAIN

PLEASE NOTE, BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY IN LINE WITH THE ENABLING
DECREE OF 512? A, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES; THE CENTRAL BANK
OF NIGERIA (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE (NEIC) AND
THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT
ALL OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENTS BE RELEASED THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE
COMPLIANCE TO THE I.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONS OF SERVICE TO
OUR FOREIGN CAPITAL DEBTS.

BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE PRESIDENCY TO HANDLE ALL
PAYMENTS DUE TO FOREIGN CONTRACTORS. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE DISREGARD ANY
CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY COME TO YOU FROM ANY OTHER
DEPARTMENT.

PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE ACTION AND REACH ME IMMEDIATELY AS YOU RECEIVE
THIS MAIL NOW. I AM IN THE OFFICE WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE

ANTICIPATING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.TUNDE LEMO.
FOR: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
DIRECTOR FOR TELEX DEPT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam