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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: <robert.montee@googlemail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2011 17:29:18 -0400
Subject: DID YOU AUTHORIZE MR. C T VAN GERWEN TO CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT?

FINAL FUNDS TRANSMISSION.
UBA House, 57 Marina
P.O. Box 2406. Lagos Nigeria
Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday
Office Hours Monday to Saturday:
 
Attention Sir
 
YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $15.5M
 
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT )-DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND PAYMENT.
 
MEANWHILE,A MAN from AUSTRALIA CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A
LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HIS INFORMATION:
 
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD.
114 BARKLY STREETS,
ARARAT, VICTORIA, POSTCODE 3377
AUSTRALIA
 
SWIFT CODE: NATA AU 3303 M
ACCOUNT NO: 798131690
A/C NAME: MR. C T VAN GERWEN
MY RETIREMENT (SAVINGS) ACCOUNT: BSB083408
 
PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS MAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BEHELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT.
 
THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUND.
 
 
Information needed from you for verification is as follow:
 
1. Names in full: -------------
2. Address:, -----------------
3. Nationality: ---------------
4. Age: --------------------
5. Occupation: ------------
6. Phone/Fax: ----------------
7. Present Country: -----------
8. Banking details: --------------
9. Contract amount: ------------
10.Copy of int'l passport,drivers license,or any valid ID card.
 
As soon as we receive the above details from you, we will commence with all necessary Procedures towards this.
 
HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENT DETAILS TO THE SAID MR. C T VAN GERWEN ,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
 
Dr. Raymond Ubah.
Director Foreign Remittance
Head  Of Remittance Operations
 

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