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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2348061594874 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • centralbankofnigeria2015@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "central bank central bank" <charles12@beehive.org>
Reply-To: cbn_payments1@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 08:46:58 -0800
Subject: ATTN BENEFICIARY, PLEASE VERIFY TO ME BEFORE I PAY OUT THESE FUNDS.


* From The Desk Of
Prof. Charles Soludo
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
Phone: +234 806 159 4874
4th July 2008

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE ON
CONTRACT#:MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/2008.
*
**
*Attn: Beneficiary,*
* *
* PAYMENT NOTIFICATION OF YOUR FUNDS.*
*De-finately, I know that this letter will be a surprising one to
you.Firstly, I will like to introduce myself formally as Prof. Charles
Soludo,The Executive Governor of The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). You are
been officially contacted by me today because your Inheritance Funds were
Re-deposited into the "Federal Suspense Account" of CBN last week,because
you did not forward your Claim as the Right beneficiary.Really these men
were unexpected by me because their visit was impromptu.I had to ask them
why they came to see me in person and they said that they were here to
Collect the Inheritance Bill Sum of (5,000,000 gbps)Five million british
pounds,which rightfully belongs to you.*

*At this development I asked them who authorized them to come down to
Nigeria for the Collection of this Payment and they told me that you asked
them to come and collect this Funds on your Behalf. In-fact, this was the
biggest shock that this Bank have ever received so far because your
inheritance Funds is still in the "Federal Suspense Account" of CBN,yet you
sent these men to come and collect this Funds on your behalf without
notifying us. If actually you want them to help you Collect your Inheritance
Bill Sum, at-least you should have informed me as the Executive Governor of
this Bank. They actually tendered some Vital Documents which are:*

*1. LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.
2. HIGH COURT IN-JUNCTION.
3. ORDER TO RELEASE.*

*Actually, these Documents which they tendered to this Noble Bank is a clear
Proof that you sent them to Collect this Funds for you. Finally, I told them
to come back tomorrow morning and they promised to come back. Kindly clarify
us on this issue before we make this Payment to these foreigners whom came
on your behalf. In receipt of this confidential Letter, you are required to
call this Bank immediately you receive this Confidential Letter or send an
email to the governors office address below.*
*Email: **centralbankofnigeria2015@yahoo.com*<centralbankofnigeria2015@yahoo.com>

*The Original Copies of the Documents which these foreigners tendered to us
yesterday have been forwarded to the Legal Unit of this Bank and I will like
to inform you that we in this Bank can proceed to Wire this said Funds
directly into your Bank in your country but you will have to Legally
substantiate your claim on this Funds.

Inother to avoid Divertion nor Complications on this Payment, you are hereby
advised to stop all further contact with anyother person, whom might equally
be of inderance. Any Attorney that is not Certified by this Noble Bank, is
equally not competent and such is definately void.*
*In receipt of this Official Letter, you are advised to forward this Bank
with your Bank informations in regards to where this Funds will be
transferred into after it must have been Re-claimed by you.

1. Bank Name and Address ...........................................
2. Bank Account Number. ...........................................
3. Routing Number/Swift Code (if available). .................
4. Your Residential Address. .........................................
5. Telephone:
..........................................
6. Bank telephone: .........................................
*
*7. Occupation ;
........................................*
* *
*We expect to hear positively from you on this matter.*
* *
*Note: You are to keep this transaction strictly confidential to yourself
until your funds get into your account within 4 to 5 working days,due to
the fact that we are still investigating this matter.*

*
OFFICIALLY SIGNED.
PROF. CHARLES SOLUDO.
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. C-B-N
OFFICE PHONE: +234 70250 70881.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam