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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.AUSTEN OBIGWE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dr.austenobigwe34@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:57:39 -0800
Subject: (OFFICIAL MESSAGE)

FROM: DR.AUSTEN OBIGWE
CHIEF ACCOUNT OFFICER
29, ADEYEMO ALAKIJA STREET
OFF IDOWU TAYLOR STREET
VICTORIA ISLAND
23/2/2011

GOOD DAY,

SORRY TO HAVE CONTACTED YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM WITHOUT A PREVIOUS NOTICE; I HAD TO USE THE E-MAIL BECAUSE IT IS AN EASIER AND MORE CONFIDENTIAL WAY OF MAKING CONTACT WITH PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

MY NAME IS AUSTEN OBIGWE, A BANKER WITH THE UNION BANK PLC. I HAPPEN TO BE THE CHIEF ACCOUNT OFFICER TO LATE ENG.KAHLE, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO USED TO WORK WITH CHEVRON- DEVELOPMENT COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA, AND BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT. ON THE 27TH OF JANUARY 2003, MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WHERE INVOLVED IN IKEJA BOMB BLAST. WHICH ALL OCCUPANTS UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES?

PLEASE VIEW THESE WEBSITES BELOW TO CONFIRM:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2718295.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2698081.stm

SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED RELATIVES WHICH I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER THIS SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACK HIS LAST NAME OVER THE INTERNET, TO SEE IF I CAN LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY AS TO PRESENT TO THE BANK SO THAT THE PROCEED OF THIS FUND CAN BE PAID TO YOU FOR OUR MUTUAL TRUST AND BENEFIT.

THIS IS THE REASON I CONTACTED YOU, TO ASSIST ME IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THE BANK GET'S THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK WHICH MIGHT LEAD THEM TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO THE GOVERNMENT COFFERS.

PARTICULARLY, THE UNION BANK WHERE THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT VALUED AT ABOUT USD$35.5 MILLION DOLLARS HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE AS HIS SENIOR ACCOUNT OFFICER TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CLIENT OR THEM THE BANK WILL HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED WITHIN THE NEXT THIRTY (30) WORKING OFFICIAL WORKING DAYS FROM NOW.

SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER 4 YEARS NOW, I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THE ACCOUNT VALUED AT USD$35.5 MILLION DOLLARS CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND ME CAN SHARE THE MONEY.50% TO ME AND 40% TO YOU AND 10% WILL BE USED FOR ANY EXPENSES AT IT'S PROCESS.

I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP THIS CLAIM. ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEEING THIS DEAL THROUGH. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THIS BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU AND I FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY SENDING TO ME BELOW INFORMATION?S:

(1) YOUR FULL NAME:..............................................
{2} YOUR RESIDENTIAL/POSTAL ADDRESS:.............................
(3) YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS:...........................
(4) YOUR AGE........................................................
(5) YOUR OCCUPATION:................................................
(6) GENDER/SEX:.....................................................

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS (dr.austenobigwe34@yahoo.com) AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU, THEN I WILL MOVE ON AND ADVICE YOU ON WHAT NEXT TO ACCOMPLISH AND GOOD FOR US TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY.

BEST REGARDS,
DR.AUSTEN OBIGWE,

Anti-fraud resources: