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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)
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • "million 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)
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • +2348060796515 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: musa@audumusa.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:16:04 +0100 (CET)
Subject: PAYMENT NOTICE



CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS-NIGERIA
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE LAGOS

From the Desk Of:
DR. AUDU MUSA
Executive Governor
Tel : 234-80607-96515


ATTN: SIR/MADAM IMMEDIATE CONTRACT
PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.
CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/0019.

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 YET
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 BE ADVISED
THAT BECAUSE OF TOO MANY CONTRACTORS THAT I HAVE TO PAY AT THIS FIRST
QUARTER OF THE YEAR, YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE SUM OF
US$20,000,000,
(TWENTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY), SO THAT I
WILL BE ABLE TO
PAY OTHER CONTRACTORS, BUT MY
PROMISE IS THAT I WILL
MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR BALANCE LATER.
KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS INFORMATION:

1) YOUR FULL NAME.
2) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE #.
3) COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS.
4) PROFESSION, AGE AND MARITAL STAUS.


UPON THE RECONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION,
YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU IN A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OR WIRED TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.SEND ME AN EMAIL AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL.

REGARDS,

DR. AUDU MUSA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam