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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +448701347306 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447040124770 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • rodney_chesson007@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Bank Of America washington" <info@bank-of-america-washington.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 22:42:06 +0000
Subject: RE: TRANSFER OF CONTRACT SETTLEMENT BY SWIFT/TELEGRAPHIC SYSTEM

BANK OF AMERICA WASHINGTON DC
Foreign Currency Management
1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 708 Washington, DC 20036-5405L
TELE / FAX: 1- 309 213-1469


BOA/LBB/FRD/FGB/001
Date: 26/10/2005

ATTENTION: Ms. Brooks.

RE: TRANSFER OF CONTRACT SETTLEMENT BY SWIFT/TELEGRAPHIC SYSTEM

This is to confirm the remittance advice received from the British
Government (BG) through their Apex Bank’s Foreign Remittance Department to
debit the Federal Government account and credit your account with your
contract entitlement. This is in line with our verifications and auditing
exercise carried out by the Foreign Currency Management Department of the
Bank of America. It has been brought to the knowledge of the Department of
Foreign Currency Management that your outstanding payment is presently
(ON-HOLD) in our International financial instrument facilities.

Meanwhile, in order to release the fund On-Hold and credit your account, you
are hereby advice to contact our correspondence affiliate Bankers in London
through the newly appointed US representative in London for the Clearance
Sorting /Swift Code of Transfer Unit via the desk of Mr. Rodney Chesson on
his direct line Telephone No:+ 44 -704-0124770, Fax:+44-870-1347306 or via
E-mail: ( rodney_chesson007@yahoo.com ). You should request him to issue you
the Clearance Sorting /Swift Transfer Code and also to reconfirm your
receiving bank account to avoid mis-accreditation of your funds.

The Foreign Currency Management Department Director will not be responsible
for any consequences arising from the inability of the beneficiary to
contact our US Representative in London Mr. Rodney Chesson for Clearance
Sorting/Swift Code of Transfer Unit.
More so, in view of this arrangement, we are convinced beyond all reasonable
doubt that you are the rightful beneficiary of the above amount as witnessed
in the telex instruction. The liabilities, which the Foreign Currency
Management Department Director may incur, are hereby lawfully limited and we
therefore reserves the right to cancel funds if the receiver refuses or
delay to contact the Afore-said Unit for the immediate release of the
Clearance Sorting/Swift code of Transfer without delay.

The above request detail should be forwarded to this office within 48 hours
upon the confirmation of receipt of this message. Our legal department
Foreign Currency Management Department hereby advises that all transactions
should be strictly directed to the Clearance Sorting/Swift Code of Transfer
Unit due to fraudulent act in government circle in Nigeria between office of
the controller currency Washington (OCC) and Central Bank of Nigeria. So you
are advice to STOP ALL FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS with any group or individual
of these offices. All directives should go to our US Representative in
London Mr. Rodney Chesson only We count on your co-operation and
understanding to the above information for the security of your long over
due payment.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. ELLIS YEELEE CHENG
VICE CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (F.C.M.D.)
BANK OF AMERICA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam