419 scam: "Foreign Payment Department"<drazell220@gmail.com> Attention : Message Marked Urgent

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "foreign payment department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Foreign Payment Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <oke.steven968@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:48:00 +0100
Subject: Attention : Message Marked Urgent

This mail is to get you informed that your fund which was wrongly transferred into the below banking details had been regained by the Eco Bank Financial institute www.ecobank.com as the message got to my desk earlier today at the Foreign Payment department.

Bank of America
921 E. Arques Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA. 94085

Account Name: David Ramsey
Checking Account # 0585-67567
Routing Number # 128743858
Total Fund To Be Transferred : US$6,500,000.00

The Eco Bank Plc which are in possession of your fund demands your new banking information’s in which your desire that your fund should be transferred into, and the Eco Bank demands the sum of $185 as the cost of re-programming your new banking details before the transfer of your fund into your new bank account shall proceed.

Please Note that your prompt response to our mails coupled with honesty and diligent shall aid in getting your fund without let, delays or obstructions in getting your funds. You are to mail back to me for payment instructions, as the Eco bank Plc waits to receive the payment of the re-programing, so your fund could be re-programmed into your banking details and transferred immediately.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Mr. Oke Steven

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam