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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: "Mrs. Rita Marie Thomas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fcmbank@mail.mn>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:11:41 +0100
Subject: Payment Release Instruction From Federal Reserve Bank

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF AMERICA
33 LIBERTY STREET,
NEW YORK, NY 10045.
OUR REF: FRB-75BFNYUS09 YOUR REF:
  Payment release instruction from Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Attention fund beneficiary,
 
Acting on our capacity as the international correspondent bank to the international monetary fund organization,
This is to officially notify you that we have received a confirmation advice from the international monetary funds external auditors committee, World Bank, United Nations 
Organization and the federal reserve bank of America respectively via international payment voucher number: imf/frbwdc/boa-93wb82un567-g requesting our bank to direct the fcmb 
bank usa n.a, a subsidiary of the federal reserve bank of America to disburse your due wining/inheritance and contract payment valued at seven million three hundred thousand 
United States dollars (us7.3m) in your favour via their branch in New York.
In consideration of the above, you have been issued with this exclusive reference identification number (imf/frb-ny/9usxx10751/09), vide transaction no.: wha/eur/202 and transfer 
Allocation no.: frb/x44/701ln/nyc/us, password: 339331, pin code: 78569, certificate of merit no: 104, release code no: 0876; immediate fcmb telex confirmation no: -222568; secret 
Code: xxtn014. Having received these vital payment numbers, you are instantly qualified to receive and confirm your payment within the next 72hrs. As necessary clearance has been 
Granted from the international monetary funds external auditors to release the funds to you with immediate effect.
in view of this directive received from the international monetary funds (imf),
We have on our own part verified your payment file as directed to us, and your name is next on the list of outstanding fund beneficiaries to receive their payment at this first 
Quarter of year 2010. With that being done, you are required to urgently contact the fcmb usa n.a. in new york through their international funds release supervisor: 
 
Contact person: sir Nelson Alan.
(Head, funds release supervisor)
Email: fcmbank@mail.mn
And reconfirm your international payment voucher number and your reference identification number respectively before that office with a view to the final remittance approval and 
Subsequent crediting of your bank account to the tune of funds as stated herein.
we wish to inform you of the need for you to also re-confirm the following information before the fcmb bank usa n.a. in new york to enable the officer in-charge to proceed with 
The preliminary  arrangements that will enhance the immediate release of your funds. Owing to security reasons, be clearly informed that we will not respond to any phone 
Calls/general inquiries placed to our bank with regards to the remittance of your funds by beneficiaries as we are barred from doing so, you are therefore advised to communicate 
Only with the accredited officer for further remittance advice.
 
1) Full name:
2) Full address;
3) Your contact telephone and fax number;
4) Your age and profession:
5) Copy of any valid form of your identification;
6) Your bank name:
7) Your bank address:
8) Account name and number:
9) aba/routing number;
10) Swift or sort code/iban
:
Thank you for your anticipated co-operation
.
Treat as urgent.
Mrs. Rita Marie Thomas
Director of funds clearance unit.
 
Notice to recipient: this email (and any attachments) is only intended for the use of the person or entity, to which it is addressed,
And may contain information that is privileged and confidential to you, the recipient, are obligated to maintain it in a safe, secure and confidential manner. Unauthorized
Redisclosure or failure to maintain confidentiality may subject you to federal and state penalties. if you are not the recipient, please immediately notify federal reserve bank of new York by return email, and delete this message from your computer?

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