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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: "benard williams" <benardwilliams@msn.com>
Reply-To: benard010@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 13:31:16 +0000
Subject: YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT WITH US.

FROM THE DESK OF MR.BENARD WILLIAMS,
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
TEL: 234-802-382-2826 E-MAIL: benard010@yahoo.com
Ref: YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT WITH US

DEAR FRIEND,

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED
TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT) -DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU OR
THROUGH OUR LONDON OFFICE BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND
TRANSFER.MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A
LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS .

NAME: CATHERINE WHITE
BANK NAME: CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS:ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF MRS.CATHERINE
WHITE IS ACTUALLY FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO HER ACCOUNT. IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR
REPRESENTATIVE AS SHE HAVE CLAIMED,YOU ARE REQUESTED TO FILL AND SEND
THE INFORMATIONS BELOW FOR VERIFICATIONS, SO THAT YOUR FUND VALUED US$15.5M
US DOLLARS WILL BE REMMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT
INFORMATION AS YOU MAY WANT.THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF
CONTRACT/INHERTANCE/LOTTO ON YOUR BEHALF.

1)YOUR NAME:.................................
2)YOUR FULL ADDRESS:.....................................
3)YOUR TELEPHONE ......................................
4)FAX......................................................
5)AGE........................................................
6)SEX:...........................................................
7)YOUR OCCUPATION...........................................
8)YOUR VALID ACCOUNT DETAILS:..................

AS SOON AS WE RECIEVE THOSE INFORMATIONS, WE WILL COMMERNCE WITH ALL
NESSCCARY PROCEEDURES IN OTHER TO REMMIT YOUR FUNDS TO YOUR NOMINATED
ACCOUNT. THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR, EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE
SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITTANCE/LOTTO FUND HAVE
APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK TO EFFECT YOUR PAYMENT WITHOUT
DELAY,TOGETHER
WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN
OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN CONTRACTS/INHERITTANCE/LOTTO
FUNDS AT THIS THIRD QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.

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 INCOVINENCE THE DELAY OF THIS FUND MAY HAVE
CAUSED YOU.

BEST REGARDS,

MR.BENARD WILLIAMS

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
CC: ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS
CC: SENATE PRESEDENT
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [FPD]
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA


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