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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: "fred terry" <fredterry@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: mikeego2002@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 15:20:57 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY.


ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY.
FROM THE DESK OF:
MR,MIKE EGO DIRECTOR,
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
ZENITH BANK NIGERIA P.L.C
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

ATTENTION:BEBEFICIARY.

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 foriegn debts
especially Contract payment should be released to the benefeciaries
forthwith unconditionally.

YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $10.5M

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEENGAZZETED
TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT )-DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY
THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER. MEANWHILE,A WOMAN
CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE
REPRESENTATIVE.

HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS:
NAME JANET DURA
BANK NAME: CITI BANK,YORK.
BANK ADDRESS:NEW YORK, USA.
ACCOUNT Number:
6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY
IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT
BEHELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.THE RESERVE BANK
GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN
OVER DUE INHERITTANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK
WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN
OPERATIONS,TO
HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS THIS FIRST QUARTER
PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.

HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID JANET
DURA,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS FROM
TODAY.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

BEST REGARDS,

MR,MIKE EGO

DIRECTOR,
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
ZENITH BANK NIGERIA P.L.C

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