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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "to 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)
  • "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.
  • +447040103820 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +2348058558712 (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.
  • aahmedusman@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alex williams" <alexwilliams@plasa.com> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 10:30:32 +0100
Subject: PART PAYMENT ARREARS

TO: BENEFICIARY
FROM: MR ALEX WILLIAMS.
WIRE TRANSFER DEPARTMENT

PART PAYMENT ARREARS FROM NIGERIA
TOTALLING US$3.5 MILLION USD.

This correspondence is intended for the named recipient only and may
contain privileged and Confidential information. If you have received
this email in error, Please notify us immediately. Please do not disclose the contents to anyone or copy it to outside parties.
Thank you.

Message.

Dear: Sir,

We are pleased to inform you that we have negotiated instruction with
our correspondent Bank Central Bank of Nigeria Plc. (CBN) to draw US$3.5 million which represent part payment of your contract fund from their account with us and credit in your favor in settlement of a contract involving the Nigerian government. The transfer is irrevocable, indivisible and non-transferable.

This transaction has been secured with personal identification
computerized sealed Numbers, Contract Accreditation Pin No, Transfer Access Code (Tag) and anti terrorist clearance certificate to enable us identify the bonfire beneficiary and to avoid diversion of the fund to wrong account.

Please contact the Director, Foreign Operations Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) Attn: ALHAJI AHMED USMAN on his telephone number:234-805-855-8712 Email: aahmedusman@sify.com with your Telephone, fax number and Bank details to enable us release your fund to your nominated bank account without any further delay. If we do not receive your information for
re-confirmation within 7 days from the date of this email the transfer will be null and void as we have many contractors to pay. Be it known to you that 0.1% will be deducted from the total sum before final transfer to your account, you are advised to act fast as we have a limited time to conclude all payment in this quarter of the year.

For further enquiry you can contact Central Bank of Nigeria with the
above telephone number. We are most sincerely sorry for every
inconvenience as occasion in this matter.

Yours truly,
Mr. Alex Williams
HSBC
WIRE TRANSFER PROCESSING DIV.
HSBC Holdings plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ.
Phone: +447 040 103 820
Fax: +447 092 877 244.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam