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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • 0112348039582164
  • +2348039582164 (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.
  • benak_ak@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN WILTORD" <jmmosurb@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 13:26:13 +0000
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

FROM THE DESK OF:
MIKE OKORO
CENTRAL BANK AUDIT
#34,MARINA STREET
LAGOS-NIGERIA



YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS

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 ANY OF OUR CORRESPONDENT BANK NOMINATED 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 JANET WHITE
BANK NAME: CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS: ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN
IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME. IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REP,YOU ARE
REQUESTED TO FILL AND SEND THIS INFORMATIONS FOR VERIFICATIONS PURPOSES SO
THAT YOUR FUND VALID US$6.5M US DOLLARS WILL BE REMMITTED INTO YOUR
NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT INFO.THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF INHERTANCE ON YOUR
BEHALF.

1. YOUR FULL
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 THIS, WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NESSCCARY PROCEEDURES
IN OTHER TO REMMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR,
EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER
DUE INHERITTANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH
THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO
HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS THIS SECOND 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 WITHEN THE NEXT SEVEN
WORKING DAYS FROMTODAY.WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCOVINENCE THE DELAY IN
TRANSFERING OF THIS FUND MUST HAVE CAUSE YOU.

PLEASE FORWARD YOUR INFO TO THE MANAGER INCHARGE FORIENGN REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT , BENARD AKAMA , EMAIL : BENAK_AK@YAHOO.COM

BENARD AKAMA
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
EMAIL: BENAK_AK@YAHOO.COM
TEL: 0112348039582164
IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE US PLEASE DIAL +234-8039582164


BEST REGARDS,
MIKE OKORO
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
CC: ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS
CC: SENATE PRESEDENT
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [FPD]
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam