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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "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.
• 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.
  • cbn_foreignremittance00@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA" <auditorgeneral@ubnnigplc.com>
Reply-To: cbn_foreignremittance00@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:01:52 +0000
Subject: URGENT CONFIRMATION NEEDED.

                                                                             

 

                              OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION

                                                  CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.

                                             INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE OFFICE

                                                   TELEX AND CREDIT UNIT  

                                            PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT FUND

CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009,
Swift Code: BPH KPL PK,
A/C#: 329606=101244=169=678
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA
Our Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/04
E-mail: cbn_foreignremittance00@yahoo.com

ATTN: Honourable Contractor,

The Senate committee on foreign payment in its last meeting with the Governor, Deputy Governor Central Bank of Nigeria gave a final approval for the immediate payment of all the foreign contractors who for long executed their contract in Nigeria without receiving their contract payment.

In view of this present development, we wish to inform you that your USD$43.2 million contract fund has been stated for immediate remittances but action is on your contract payment following a change of account application filled in by one Mr. George Adams with the new account details as follows:

Hong-kong-shan ghai bank corps Grand-London England: Beneficiary: George Adams: Account NO: 001-229-221:

This account information which was submitted by George Adams did not come  with VALID POWER OF ATTORNEY, it is this issue that compelled me to contact you so as to receive confirmation from you on the change of account. If this change of account was authorized by you, it has to be written in company letter headed paper stamped and signed by you; Reconfirming to me the following..

1. That the application for the change of beneficiary was done with your consent.

2. That the said fund should be transferred into the above account.

This have to be done immediately because we will not entertain any enquire from your so called agent who came to this office demanding your contract payment by cashier cheque, telegraphic transfer or certified bank draft: If in the alternative you did not permit any

body to effect such a change of account, authenticate your  disapproval to this office in your letter headed paper with all the contract and account details clearly stated. This is to enable us avoid errors in the transferring of this fund. Central bank of Nigeria will not be held responsible for any wrong information given to us.  

You are expected to reply this urgently.

Your urgent response  is highly needed.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. EMMA UCHE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam