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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:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • ",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)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  
• 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.
  • paymastergeneralofnigeria2@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "emeka ugo" <dremekaugo66@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:49:01 -0700
Subject: ATTN: Dear Beneficiary....Did You Send Them.


OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
Tel: Highly Confidential.
16 Walter Carrington Str. Ikoyi Lagos-Nigeria.
ASO ROCK VILLA, ABUJA ANNEX OFFICE.
From the Desk of Dr Emeka Ugo GCON.
Official Web Account: *paymastergeneralofnigeria2@gmail.com*
Our Ref: FGN/OHG/OXD1/2008
TELEX: FEDGOVNIG.
PAYMENT FILE: FGN/BEN/08.
Date: Aug 28, 2008.
*****24HRS SERVICE*****


ATTN: Dear Beneficiary,

PAYMENT NOTICE OF YOUR FUNDS

May you remain favoured.

We are contacting you in respect of the transfer of your Approved
US$100,000,000 under our custody here in The Central Bank of Nigeria.

Without taking much of your time, my name is Chief. Raymond P. Douglas,
the Honourable Paymaster General of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Your Funds were returned to the Federal Government Treasury some while
ago because you did not finalize your claim for it.

A week ago, the Presidency and The Federal Executive Council
collectively agreed to release the sum of US$100,000,000 to you but to
our surprise you sent down your representatives Mr. Tim Parker and Mr.
Rowland Gulf to collect this Funds on your behalf, this morning.

Since you sent your representatives to us, kindly give us the authority
to transfer your Funds into their own Bank Account in Singapore.

We await your immediate response via this email Address.Reply to:
(*paymastergeneralofnigeria2@gmail.com*)

Officially Sealed,
Dr Emeka Ugo.
The Honourable Paymaster General

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam