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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "okey nwosu" <okeynwosu009@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:24:09 +0200
Subject: AUDIT REPORT/PAYMENT NOTICE. (REF524/FIB/2008)


From The Desk Of,
MR OKEY NWOSU
CEO FIRSTINLANDBANK PLC
4/6 Adetokunbo Ademola Street,
Victoria Island,
Lagos Nigeria.

AUDIT REPORT/PAYMENT NOTICE. (REF524/FIB/2008)
Sir,

It is my pleasure to convey this important information to you. Recently the
Federal Government of Nigeria audited the Payment Schedule of Transaction
between Oil Companies, Contracts and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and
we discovered some lapses in the Nations Accounts procedure in that Sector.

The accounts was audited by the HART GROUP, an American Auditing Firm, for
the federal government of Nigeria have uncovered large-scales fraud ever
recorded in the industry in recent time. We discovered a monumental scam
showing wide spread discrepancies involving amount of money in the
neighborhood of US$240,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Forty Million US Dollars
Only), which the Federal Government is owing Foreign Contractors in that
sector. We also discovered that your contract sum have not been paid, hence
we write this letter to you, for the immediate full payment of your contract
sum in this quarter of the year.

This audit examined all the financial transaction in the Nation's Oil
Industry from 1999 to 2008 was unable to reconcile the figures provided by
the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN).

The federal government have nominated the first in land bank Plc as the
paying bank for all Foreign contractors.

We have forwarded you contract information to the Office of the Minister for
Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation for their observations
and comment on your payment. You are requested to contact my office
immediately you receive this notice.You are now warned not to contract any
other office for your contract payment.

Your urgent reply is needed

Yours Faithfully,
MR.OKEY NWOSU
CEO FIRSTINLANDBANK PLC.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam