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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:

• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your payment is being processed" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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 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.
  • charles_soludo_c@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof Charles Soludo." <charles_soludo_c@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 02:55:29 +0530
Subject: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA


TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS-NIGERIA


FROM OFFICE OF THE
EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
PROF CHARLES SOLUDO





ATTENTION; FRIEND,

IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT.
CONTRACT #:
MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009.



ATTENTION; FRIEND,
Dear
Sir/madam

From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment
with the federal government of Nigeria. Your name and company was
discovered as next on the list of the outstanding contractors who have
not received their payments.

I wish to inform you that your payment
is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond
to this letter.

Also note that from my record in my file your
outstanding contract payment is us$65.7 million dollars(sixty five
million seven hundred thousand united states dollars).
Please re-
confirm to me if this is inline with what you have in your record and
also re-confirm to me the followings for record verification and proper
documentation to avoid future embarassment.

1) Your full name.
.......................................................................................
2) Phone, fax and mobile
#..........................................................................
3) company name,position and
address.......................................................
4)
profession, age and marital status.
...........................................................
5) Copy of
int'l
passport................................................................................

As soon as this informations are received, your payment will be made
to you in a certified bank draft from central bank of Nigeria and a
copy will be given to you for you to confirm it.

NOTE: RESPONSE
SHOULD BE MADE ON THIS EMAIL charles_soludo_c@yahoo.com



Best Regards,



Prof Charles Soludo.
Executive Governor,Central Bank Of Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam