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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
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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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof. Charles Soludo" <mrssandywalla@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: rev_timothyekeh@gawab.com
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 21:41:36 -0300
Subject: RE: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF




CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS-NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
OUR REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/05


Attn: Honourable Contractor

RE: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE ON CONTRACT #:MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009.

Following the protest of the International Community, The World Bank, IMF and the instruction by the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces(Chief General Olusegun Obasanjo) that all outstanding forieghn debts especially next of kin payment should be released to the benefeciaries forthwith unconditionally.

From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the Government of Nigeria. Your name and company was discovered as next of kin 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 the record in my file, your outstanding contract payment is (Fifteen Million, Five 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:

1) Your full name.
2) Phone, Fax and Mobile #.
3) Company name, Position and Address.
4) Profession, age,sex and marital status.
5) Any kind of identification / Passport I.D.
6) Banking informations / Banking Address.

As soon as this information are received, your payment will be made to you in a certified bank draft or wired to your bank account directly from Central bank of Nigeria or any of the sisters bank and the a copy of transfer confirmation informations will be given to you for you to take to your bank and confirm it.

YOURS SINCERELY,

PROFESSOR CHARLES C. SOLUDO
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam