419 scam: "CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA"<info@centralbankofnigeria.com.ng> URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

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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:
- "account opening fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "account opening" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <centbnkdirectng@rediffmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 23:57:36 -0700
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA(CBN).
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT,
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS:#34A, CBN HOUSE TINUBU SQUARE,
ELEKE CRESCENT-VICTORIA ISLAND, MARINA, LAGOS-
NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA.
Tel: +23414545629

INHERITANCE/CONTRACT FUND, #:FGN/CBN/552201/2414.

Attn: -

We believe that this notification meets you in a very good present state of mind and health.

I the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in conjunction with some other relevant Investigation Agencies here in Nigeria and abroad have recently been informed through the Global intelligence monitoring network that you are presently dealing with some unauthorized people which leads to the recent bad news that we are about to share with you.

Your over-due contract payment was fully endorsed in your favor accordingly and will be made available to you through a wire transfer or atm card method.

It might interest you to know that we have take out time in screening through this project as stipulated on our protocol of operation and have finally confirmed that your contract payment of $9.8 Million is100% genuine and hitch free from all fact and of which you have the lawful right to claim your fund without any further delay.

But yesterday as we are working on the audition of all account, MRS. PATRICIA LEE whom was a total stranger just worked into this office and tendered a certificate to us that she is your partner and you have authorized her to receive your funds into her personal account in the United States which we have done immediately.

She paid to us the account opening fee which cost her the sum of $450 because the fund was at first been prepared on a certified bank draft and we have to deposit the check into a new account here before transferring the money electronically into her account.

She furthers stated that you are dead, but we later realized that she might be an impostor which made me to contact the FBI office directly to investigate if you are alive or dead and we got a report back that you are alive.

She has been handed over to the Police command here in Lagos Nigeria where she confessed after serious torture that she got all the informations from a staff of this bank, this is why you have not been able to receive your funds ever since, therefore you are advised to stop all further communication with whoever might be pretending to be a staff of this office as we are now fully arranged to correct all the mistakes.

Your money is still at intact as we have reported her account to the World Bank to block her account until we hear back from you, the world bank will as well write to you on this matter once we hear back from you.

For us to know that you did not authorize her, we require the re-confirmation of the below information from you before we can continue

on this issue and treat it as a matter of urgency.

1. YOUR FULL NAMES:
2. YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS:
3. YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER:
4. YOUR FAX NUMBERS IF AVAILABLE:
5. AGE:
6. SEX:
7. YOUR OCCUPATION:
8. ANY COPY OF YOUR ID:

ENDEAVOR NOT TO REPLY TO ANY E-MAIL WITHOUT YOUR CONTRACT REGISTRATION GIVEN ABOVE THIS E-MAIL.

If we do not hear back from you in seven bank working days, the transaction will be terminated.

Regards
SANUSI LAMIDO

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam