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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "mr henry john" <mrhenry.john238@gmail.com>
Reply-To: henry.john@live.com
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 06:48:15 -0700
Subject: Office of the Director of Operation


Office of the Director of Operation
International Credit Settlement,
ATM Payment Department (CBN)
Attention: Beneficiary/Contractor,

This is to officially inform you that we have verified your beneficiary
payment file and found out that you have not received your payment due to
the fact that you have not fulfilled the obligations given to you in respect
of your funds payment. Meanwhile, a woman came to my office few days ago
with a letter, claiming to be your true representative to claim your over
due payment, below is the information's she presented for the claims:

Name: Janet White
Bank Name: Citi Bank
Bank Address: Arizona, USA
Account N0: 6503809428.

However, do reconfirm to us as a matter of urgency if this woman was sent by
you to enable us facilitate your payment accordingly, otherwise we will not
be faulted for a wrong payment. Your payment has been arranged via Swift
Card Payment Center Asia pacific that this is the up-to-the-minute
instruction from the newly democratic elected president (Alhaji Umar Musa
Yar'Adua, GCFR) Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Card Center will send you
an ATM CARD which will serve as a better means to withdraw your money from
any available ATM Machine around you and any other part of the world, NB:
the maximum amount of withdrawal per day is One thousand Five Hundred
dollars (US$1500), if this serves your interest to receive your funds,
please immediately to this office Swift Card payment Center, Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) for more information regarding your payment.

In other to reconfirm your data, please send us your below information: 1.
Your full name:
2. Direct Phone and fax number:
3. Contact Address (for the delivery of your ATM Card via DHL)
4. Your age and current occupation:

The ATM Card Payment Center has been mandated to issue out US$5,000,000.00
(Five Million United States Dollars) as part payment for this fiscal year
2008. Also for your information, you have to stop any further communication
with any other person(s) or office(s) to avoid any difficulties in receiving
your funds payment. To avoid impostors, take note of our code of conduct
(ATM-822), you must indicate this code when contacting the Swift Card
Payment Center preferable used as contact subject.

Yours in-service,

Mr henry john
Chief-Auditor (CBN)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam