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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:
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • contact1_charles_soludo@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 18:08:46 -0800
Subject: Personal Letter.


Office of the Governor.
Central bank of Nigeria
Tinubu, square, Lagos- Nigeria.
Date 4TH Nov, 2008.
Our ref: CBN/OHG/OXD12/2008
Your ref: .......
Telex: Cenbank.
Payment file: CBN/FBEN/08.

Attn: Beneficiary,

I am Dr. Mike Philips,the secretary to Prof. Charles Soludo; the Executive
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N)The central Bank of Nigeria
here in Nigeria.

I was instructed to initiate contact with you by my Boss,the Executive
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N) on an urgent issue.Kindly
note that your funds have now been deposited in the CBN "Suspense Account"
with Our Correspondent Bank in the United Kingdom because you did not return
the Claims Validation Form that was Faxed to You as the Bonafide
Beneficiary.

My Boss, the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N), was
paid a Surprise visit in his office by three Gentlemen on the 18th of last
Month. He had inquired from them the purpose of their visit and why they
came to see him in person.They informed Him that they came to collect the
Inheritance/Contract funds Bill totalling US$3.5 million,which rightfully
belongs to You as shown in Your file with us, on your behalf and by your
authorization. Note that they actually tendered some vital documents which
proved that you actually Nominated them to Collect these funds. Below is
list of the documents which they tendered to Executive Governor of the
Central Bank of Nigeria:

1. Letter of administration.
2. High court injunction.
3. Order to release.

Due to the nature of his job,he couldn't afford to make any mistake in
releasing these funds to anyone except you who is the recognized True
Beneficiary to these funds.Furthermore,the fact that the Nigerian Government
and the I.M.F and World Bank have reached an Agreement to ensure that all
unclaimed nheritance/Contract funds will be released to the Bonafide
Beneficiary make it mandatory that any Funds scheduled for release must
follow due Process.This Arrangement has been concluded and all unclaimed
Funds are now Lodged in Our Suspense Account with the Barclays Bank to be
paid to the Beneficiaries.

Note that My boss was taken aback by this visit and has asked these men to
come back tomorrow so he can verify this fact from you first.

Kindly clarify us on this issue before we insruct Our Offshore Payment Bank
to Process this payment to these foreigners whom came on your
behalf.Kindly,direct your response to the private email address of my Boss,
Prof. Charles Soludo, Email: contact1_charles_soludo@yahoo.com

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for PROMPT
deliberation and response from him on the release of your funds to you.
Please remember to indicate a phone number he can reach you on in your
response.

Note that for security reasons you have been assigned a code/password which
is {TT7270CBN}.Please note that this code is the reference number for your
transfer and it's being disclosed to you alone.Therefore,guard this
jealously and all your email response should carry this code as the subject.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Mike Philips.
Secretary.
To the Governor.
Central bank of Nigeria
Tinubu square, Lagos- Nigeria.



Statement of confidentiality: "the information in this email and in any
attachments may contain confidential information and is intended solely for
the attention and use of the named addressee(s). It may not be disclosed to
any person without authorization. If you are not the intended recipient, or
a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient you are not
authorized to and must not disclose, copy, distribute or retain this message
or any part of it."

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam