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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA <atmdeptcenter11@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 06:58:10 +0000
Subject: KINDLY COLLECT YOUR ATM PAYMENT INFORMATION




OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONINTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT,CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA3 WUSE ZONE 2ABUJA,NIGERIA07-07-2007ATTENTION: CATEGORY "A" BENEFICIARY.THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVEVERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT/ INHERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FULFILED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILLDEALING WITH THE NONE OFFICIALS IN THE BANK,AND ALL YOUR ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUND PROVED ABORTIVE. WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THIS HAVE TO STOP IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT SINCE WE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER HERE IN CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR. PRESIDENT,ALHAJI SHEHU MUSA YAR'ADUA (GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA,AND ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION(EFCC) NIGERIA.THIS OFFICE WILL SEND TO YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY, SO PROVIDE THE BELOWINFORMATION TO THIS OFFICE.1. YOUR FULL NAME2. CELL PHONE AND FAX NUMBER3. ADDRESS COUNTRY WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THE ATM CARD.4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATIONKINDLY CONTACT THIS OFFICE, THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT(CBN).remittancedept_zenithworldbank@yahoo.frACCOUNT OFFICER MR.AKIN ARINSOLATHIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT ATMCARD VALUED $5,500,000.00 AS INITIAL PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2007. NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUE YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-Y2K6) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THIS OFFICE BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.KIND REGARDS,LEO STEVEHEAD AUDITOR INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT/THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT(CBN).CBN.
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