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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM PAYMENT OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrbrownedward90@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:59:18 -0700
Subject: INTEGRATED PAYMENT DEPARTMENT

OFFICE OF THE SENATE HOUSE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
cRESOLUTIONPANEL ON CONTRACT PAYMENT)
IKOYI-LAGOS NIGERIA
OurRef FGN /SNT/STB
ATM CARD PAYMENT FOR FUND BENEFICIARIES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT UNION BANK OF NIGERIA DEPARTMENT.
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY FRIEND:
This is to officially inform you  that ATM card number: 3774 2856 7847 9006  ($5.3Million usd) has been credited in your favor in bid to compensate you on your contract payment since you are next on our inheritance file for the second part of this fiscal Year 2009. Your personal identification is ATM- 7997. Contact the verification officer MR BROWN EDWARD
(Mrs.) on: (mrbrownedward2@sify.com) with the following for proper verification and claim processing:
Full Name................
Delivery Address....
Country..................
Occupation.... ...........
Phone Number.............
Fax Number...............
Age......................
sex......................
NOTE:
-You are also required to send to the verification officer/agent a means of Identification which should be a scan copy of your Driver's License or International Passport for proper verification and authentication.
CONTACT :BARRISTER  BROWN EDWARD OR EMAIL HIM BACK AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR FURTHER DIRECTION IN THIS REGARDS AND ALSO UPDATE ME ON ANY DEVELOPMENT FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED OFFICE.
CONTACT:BARRISTER BROWN EDWARD
INTEGRATED PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
EMAIL:mrbrownedward1@sify.com
 
Regards
STATE INHERITANCE COMMITTEE

Anti-fraud resources: