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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: "atmcard@info.org" <otmanahmed@coolgoose.com> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 11:32:20 +0100
Subject: Atm-Card Approved



UR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.

DEAR BENEFICIARY:

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR FILE AND IN
RESPECT OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUND RECOVERED BY THE CENTRAL BANK FROM THE
DEPOSITED BANK.AFTER THE CENTRAL BANK AUDIT THIS ECONOMIC YEAR A TOTAL
PARTPAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT SUM,HAS BEEN APPROVED TO BE PAID TO YOUR FAMILY.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT
CENTER ASIA PACIFIC THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR.PRESIDENT,
GOODLUCK JONATHAN(GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE FBI AND EFCC.

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
$5000 USD PER DAY, SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE
LET US KNOW

ALL YOU NEED TO DO NOW IS TO SEND TO ME FOLLOWING:


1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD:
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION:

KINDEST REGARDS,
MR.OTMAN AHMED
ATM CARD SWIFT PAYMENT CENTER
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

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This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.

Anti-fraud resources: