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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: "Prof Justice Christopher" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <prof.j_christopher@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2011 15:52:34 +0200
Subject: Attention !!

No5 Fomella Street, Off Adetokunbo
Ademola Crescent
Wuse II Abuja.
NIG. IP CODE /23401
EFCC Crime Commission
Report. 08/08/2011

Attention:

I am Mrs. Farida Waziri the chairman of ECONOMICAL FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) in alliance with economic community of West African states (ECOWAS). We have been working towards the eradication exercise of fraudsters and scam Artists in Western part of Africa. Furthermore, the retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), brings to my appointment strong qualifications and impeccable professional competencies spanning 35 years of work and experience in the Nigeria Police. With the help of United States Government and the United Nations we have been able to tracked down so many of this scam artist in various parts of West African countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN, TOGO, GHANA CAMEROUN AND SENEGAL LONDON) and they are all in our custody here in Abuja Nigeria.

Messages familiar to this are basically directed to victims as instructed by the United Nations, in which your email address was found on the list here in our custody. You are therefore to be compensated with $150,000.00 thousand united State Dollars only Consequent to the record we have here. In other words, this Scam Artists has defrauded lots of innocent foregners as Barristers/Bank officials, Lottery Agents in disquise.

WE FIGHT AGAINST FRAUD AND OTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.

This unit investigative arm of the EFCC headed by the Director of Operations. Below are the various sections under the Unit:

ADVANCE FEE FRAUD:

Just as the name suggests, Advance Fee Fraud is a specialized fraud committed using fake claims, identities, positions and in most cases, enticing, but non-existent proposals. Victims are made to pay money in "advance" before the "deal" is done - hence the name `Advance Fee Fraud. In an attempt to tackle the malaise, the Federal Government of Nigeria through provisions in Section 419 of the Criminal Code came up with punitive measures to deter and punish offenders.The Advance Fee Fraud section deal mainly with cases of advance fee fraud(commonly called 419) such as obtaining by false pretend through different fraudulent schemes e.g. contract scam, credit card scam, inheritance scam, job scam, lottery scam, "wash wash" scam (money washing scam),Fake delivery companies , marriage scam. Immigration scam, counterfeiting and religious scam. It also investigates Cyber crime cases.

Bank Fraud:

This section is mandated to handle all fraud cases emanating from Banks and Financial institutions. Such matters include Counterfeiting, Illegal charge transfers, Issuance of dud Cheques, Fraudulent enmeshment of negotiable instruments, Foreign exchange malpractices and other financial malpractices in financial institutions.

Futhermore, inother to proceed with the investigations, your personal and Banking details are officially required to enable us direct you to the Refund Payment Department for verification.

Thanks,

Sincerely yours,
EFCC Public Relation Officer,
Prof Justice Christopher

Anti-fraud resources: