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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: "Bernanke" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrbensbernanke003@w.cn>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 02:20:51 -0700
Subject: Notification of credit from bank of america.(2010)

1890 epps bridge pkwy, athens, ga 30606
Notification of credit from bank of america.(2010)
 
Attn: beneficiary,
 
we have this 4th Day of Aug, 2010 received a payment credit instruction from the federal government of nigeria to credit your account with your full inheritance fund of us$10.5million from the nigerian reserve account with our bank, bank of america however, you shall required to provide the followings datas below:
 
{1}. your full name and address.:
{2}. your confidential tel, cell and fax.
{3). your bank name and address.:
{4). your a/c name and a/c numbers.:
(5). your swift code / routing numbers.:
 
please do provide the above information accurately, because this office cannot afford to be held liable for any wrong transfer of funds or liability of funds credited into a ghost account. thanks for banking with bank of america while we looking forward to serving you with the best of our service. thanks and god bless you.
regards,
 
yours in service,
 
Mr. Ben s. Bernanke
A/c officer b o a georgia branch.
chairman federal reserve bank new york

Anti-fraud resources: