419 scam: "FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC." <first_bank_of_nigeria_plc2003@yahoo.com> Payment Purpose: Inheritance Fund Release

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348086147550 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC." <first_bank_of_nigeria_plc2003@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:28:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Payment Purpose: Inheritance Fund Release

Payment Purpose: Inheritance Fund Release
Payment Value: $5,500,000.00 dollars
Authourized Paying Bank: First Bank of Nigeria
Transaction Reference Code: FBN/KTT/27890/0000/010
Payment Approval Date: 20/01/2011

Dear Beneficiary.

My
name is DR. ALEX DURU. I am the newly appointed Director First Bank Of
Nigeria and the 10th Director of the First Bank of Nigeria. I assumed
duty as Director, First Bank of Nigeria on Noverber 4, 2010 at the
Bank's Corporate Head Office in Abuja following the confirmation of my nomination by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on wednesday, Noverber 3, 2010.

However,
acting in my capacity as the newly-appointed Director of the (FBN), I
have been mandated by the Senate National Assembly to check through the
statutory disk of every payment pending during the last quarter of the
year. Hence, your payment file has been forwarded to my desk for final
approval. Therefore, after vetting and verification about the source
and origin of your funds, I am convinced 100% that the $5,500,000.00
dollars part payment is a legitimate contract/inheritance claim. Hence,
I have granted approval for the release of the $5,500,000.00 dollars in
your favor.

For this reason, your payment has been rightfully
approved and will be paid out directly into your bank account via
"automatic swift transfer" from our Electronic transfer unit.
Already, all transfer processing has been concluded in line with the
new (FBN) Payment Policy. But before the $5,500,000.00 dollars can be
credited into your bank account, a "Payment Release Code" must be
issued to you personally from the Electronic Transfer Unit, which will
enable your funds to be credited into your bank account within 2 hours.
Issuance of the "Payment Release Code" is in total compliancy with the
Principles of the Banking Codes on Money Laundering and it is also in
accordance with the new (FBN) Payment Policy. Hence, issuance of the
"Payment Release Code" attract a fee of $70 dollars ONLY; and the $70
dollars is the ONLY FEE you will be requested to pay for the final
release of your funds. Every and all other fees will be deducted at
source automatically.

However, on the note of receiving your
inheritance funds, you are requested to forward the details of your
receiving bank account; as well as make arrangement to secure and send
the issuance fee of $120 dollars for the "Payment Release Code". The
$70 dollar fee must be sent through Western Union or Money Gram with the name of the Payment officer at the Electronic Transfer Unit (MR. EDWIN UZOMA) as per the below details:

NAME OF RECIPIENT'S: MR. EDWIN UZOMA
CITY: LAGOS NIGERIA
SECRET QUESTION: WHAT FOR
ANSWER: GOOD
AMOUNT: $70 USD

I
am expecting to receive your earliest reply and details of your
receiving bank account, as well as the details of payment for the $70
dollars. My direct telephone number is +234-808-614-7550

Yours Sincerely,
DR. ALEX DURU
Director First Bank Of Nigeria

P.S: Please note that all other authourities handling your payment has been stopped by the FBI.
Hence, the (FBN) has been appointed as the sole authourity in-charge
of your fund release. Therefore, you are advised to stop further
communication with any other office or financial institution handling your payment.

Anti-fraud resources:

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