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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: "DR. DARLINGTON RASHEED" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dr.darlingtonras@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:48:57 -0800
Subject: PRIVATE MEMO

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE
LAGOS - NIGERIA
CABLE: CENBANK NG


DEAR SIR,

MY NAME IS DR. DARLINGTON RASHEED OF THE TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF
NIGERIA. I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE FAX BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE TRANSACTION.
PLEASE I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE THAT IF AFTER GOING THROUGH MY SUBMISSION AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT,
KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.
I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AND I WOULD NOT LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB.
AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBN IN RESPECT OF YOUR
CONTRACT PAYMENT.
YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE
PEOPLE ARE MERELY DOING PAPER WORK WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE FAX AND PHONE
MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN NIGERIA EVERYDAY.
THEIR WHOLE GAME PLAN IS TO FRUSTRATE YOU INORDER FOR YOU TO ABANDON THE CONTRACT PAYMENT AND
THEN THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE AND FREE ENOUGH TO TRANSFER THE CONTRACT FUNDS INTO THEIR OVERSEAS
ACCOUNT. HENCE, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM TO BELIEVE TO BE GENUINE.
TO SUM IT UP, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION HERE IN THE TELEX DEPARTMENT I CAN PUNCH
THE COMPUTER AND CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT STRAIGHT WITHIN FIVE (5) WORKING DAYS. FIRST OF ALL, YOU
HAVE TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS DEAL.
FINALLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, IF YOU ACCEPT MY
SUBMISSION, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL
EVEN IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT MY OFFER, I WILL SINCERELY ADVISE YOU TO FIND TIME YOURSELF TO COME AND
REGULARIZE YOUR DEFECTIVE DOCUMENTS INSTEAD OF FRUITLESS EXCHANGE OF FAX MESSAGES WITH OFFICES
HERE.
WHEN REPLYING THIS FAX, PLEASE RE-CONFIRM YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE, FAX NUMBERS AND HOUSE ADDRESS.
PLEASE RESPOND ONLY VIA EMAIL.
REGARDS.
DR. DARLINGTON RASHEED


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