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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: "THE LOTTO NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <prof.jamesobi@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 03:28:43 -0700
Subject: 81.218.49.68

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
AB96532 AND BATCH NO: 57/1088/IBA.
 
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION,
 
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 13th September, 2010, of winners of the The LOTTO NIGERIA SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY / INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on 1st September 2010 as part of our end of year bonanza.
 
You/your company, attached to ticket number 047-1776-1342-440, with serial number 21564-07 drew the lucky numbers 01-77-13-55-38-11, and consequently won the lottery in the 1st category (category 'A').
 
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$3,000,000.00 in cash credited to file REF NO. AB96532. This is from total prize money of US$6,000,000.00 shared among the two (2) international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn form 25,000 names from Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe and North America as part our International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.
 
CONGRATULATIONS!
 
Your fund is now deposited with FIRST SECURITIES INC., Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.
 
We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery.
 
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent;
 
PROF.JAMES OBI,
FINANCIAL CONTROLLER,
FIRST SECURITIES INC.
TEL/FAX: 234
EMAIL: prof.jamesobi@hotmail.com
 
For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice.
 
Remember, you must contact your claim agent not later than 25th of September 2010; after this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed. All correspondences to MR. EDWARD CLAPTON, either by fax or email, should have this EMAIL sent along with it and also, YOUR FULL NAMES, FULL CONTACT ADDRESS (COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE) and EMAIL ADDRESS, to which this email is sent, should be clearly and boldly written in your response.
 
NOTE:
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your REFERENCE NUMBER and BATCH NUMBER in every one of your correspondences with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.
 
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.
 
Sincerely,
MRS SANDRA OKOLIE
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
THE LOTTO NIGERIA
 
N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to disqualification. Please do not reply to this mail. Contact your claim agent.

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