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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money transfer control number" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
  • "remmittance 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)
  • "abuja" (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.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +2348076818656 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "central bank of Nigeria" <dryahayatanko@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 01:47:21 -0700
Subject: RE:TRANSFER OF INHERITANCE ( US$7,300,000.00)

ATTN:VIRGILIO DAGASDAS

FROM:OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR & DIRECTOR
FOREIGN REMMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,
GARKI ABUJA
TEL:234-80-76818656,FAX 234-9-29571313

RE:TRANSFER OF INHERITANCE ( US$7,300,000.00)

THIS OFFICE IS IN RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL AND THE COMPLETED FORM"ACC3" SEND TO
US.
WE HAVE COMMENCE THE TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS TO YOUR NORMINATED BANK ACCOUNT
VIA SECURED WIRED INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER (S.W.I.F.T)
SEQUEL TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BANK ON INTERNATION MONEY
TRANSFER ,YOU ARE REQUESTED TO REVALIDATE YOUR DORMICILLIARY ACCOUNT WITH
THIS BANK SET UP IN YOUR FAVOUR FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRANSFERING YOUR FUNDS
$7.3M TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF $2,600.00(CAN.DOLLARS) MADE
PAYABLE TO OUR ACCOUNT CLERK THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

RECEIVERS NAME;MR BEN IKIMI
ADDRESS:12 AREA1 GARKI ABUJA NIGERIA
TEST QUESTION:WHAT IS MY FIRST NAME? ANSWER:VIRGILIO

UPON MAKING THE PAYMENT,YOU SHOULD FURNISH THIS OFFICE WITH THE FOLLOWING :
(1)SENDERS NAME AND 10 DIGIT MTCN (MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER) FOR RECORD
PURPOSE.
THIS $2,600 SHALL FORM PART OF YOUR INITIAL DEPOSIT IN YOUR DORMICILLIARY
BANK ACCOUNT BEFOR YOUR BUNDED INHERITANCE FUNDS $7.3M WILL BE TRANSFER INTO
THE DORMICILLIARY ACCOUNT FOR ONWARD TRANSFER TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IN
CANADA.

NOTE THAT BOTH YOUR INITIAL DEPOSIT AND YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS $7.3M SHALL
BE TRANSFER TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY YOUR DORMICILLIARY ACCOUNT
BECOMES ACTIVE.
AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATIONS YOUR FUNDS SHALL BE TRANSFER
INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT THROUGH WIRE TRANSFER WITHIN 24-48HOURS AND A DEBIT
CARD WILL BE ISSUE TO YOU WHICH YOU CAN USE.

YOURS FAITHFULY.
DR.YAHAYA TANKO
DIRECTOR
FOREIGN REMMITTANCE DEPT.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam