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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 Card Department <martin.schulman@up.ac.za>
Reply-To: mrmosesbrown@googlemail.com
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:29:32 +0200
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT VIA HSBC-VISA ATM DEBIT CARD.


--
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
SENATOR DAVID MARK
Director, Foreign Operations
ATM Card Department
Central Bank of Nigeria.
Email: mrmosesbrown@googlemail.com


YOUR PAYMENT VIA HSBC-VISA ATM DEBIT CARD.

Account normalization of your banking details has been delayed by
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Services Authority (UK).
This has made it necessary for your contract payment to be programmed into
HSBC Visa Atm Debit Card. The total fund in question is 5,000,000.00 USD
This is the first part of the Payment of which the balance will subsequently
be paid into same account.


The Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), working in relationship with HSBC London
has concluded to issue you a VISA CARD with which you can access your
contract amount 5,000,000.00 USD This card center will send you an ATM card
which you will use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine in any part of
the world, but the maximum is FIVE Thousand Five Hundred United States
Dollars($5,500)





This message and attachments are subject to a disclaimer. Please refer
to www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ for full
details. / Hierdie boodskap en aanhangsels is aan 'n vrywaringsklousule
onderhewig. Volledige besonderhede is by
www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ beskikbaar.


Anti-fraud resources: