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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: "United Bank Of Africa UBA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lee.office.bob@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2011 13:46:49 -0400
Subject: YOUR TRANSFER COMPLETED FROM UBA BANK NIGERIA

FINAL FUNDS TRANSMISSION.
UBA House, 57 Marina
P.O. Box 2406. Lagos Nigeria
Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday
Office Hours Monday to Saturday:
 
Re:-Fund Transfer Notice. FROM UBA BANK NIGERIA
 
Attn: Sir
 
This is to notify you that your over delayed inheritance fund valued at USD$6.5Million  has been finally released to your nominated bank account yesterday  which was in accordance with instruction from the Federal Reserve Bank UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
 
TRANSFER DETAILS ACCOUNT.
 
Beneficiary: Dianna Thomas Haley
Bank: Wes Corp Federal Credit Union
Bank City & State: Pomona, California
Routing/Transit # (ABA#): 122041219
Account Number: 321178093
Bank Address: 951 Central Avenue, Tracy California 95376
Bank Mailing Address: Tracy FCU Administration
P.O. Box 1147 Tracy, California 95378-1147
 
Above is the account already credited with the said sum? Please confirm receipt of this information for record purposes and contact your bank for actualization of transfer(Transfer Validity 48hrs). Congratulations.
 
Thanks.
Best regards,
Mr. George Awad
Director Foreign Remittance
Head  Of Remittance Operations
 

Anti-fraud resources: