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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
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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:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "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.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • fredrickmartin@cooperation.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "fredrick martin" <fredrickcbn13@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:08:13 -0700
Subject: INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.


CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.

LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM SWITZERLAND MR
SCHEMIRLAT AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE INCLUDING YOUR ATTORNEY BARRISTER
ADETO TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM OF YOUR INHERITANCE
FUNDS OF US$26,5MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS ON YOUR
BEHALF?

THIS YOUR FUND HAS BEEN CALLED BACK BY THEY CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA SINCE
DECEMBER 2007 FROM ABI BANK LONDON DUE TO THEIR INABILITY TO HANDLE THE
TRANSACTION.

TODAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA TIME, MR SCHEMIRLAT AND YOUR NIGERIAN
REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO MAKE CLAIM
ON YOUR BEHALF ON YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS $26.5M USD.
I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS THEY CAME WITH
ALL OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING YOUR INHERITANCE FILE, I
DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER THEY PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM
YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS
CHANGORI AND CHANGORI THAT'S MAKE US TO SUSPECT THEM, THIS IS A SERIOUS
MATTER IN THE APEX BANK NOW AND WE HAVE GIVEN A MANDATE TO RELEASE THIS FUND
TO YOU BY THE PRESIDENCY.

CAN WE GO AHEAD AND RELEASE THE FUNDS TO THEM? OR DO YOU WISH TO HAVE IT IN
YOUR OTHER BANK ACCOUNT?

REPLY TO FREDRICK HERE; fredrickmartin@cooperation.net

I AM WAITING FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION.

YOURS FA ITHFULLY,
DR.FREDRICK MARTIN
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam