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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <informailbardavidwilliams@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:28:05 -0800
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARY

FROM: BARRISTER DAVID WILLIAMS
SENIOR ADVOCATE TO THE,
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
EMAIL: sdbardavidwilliams@hotmail.com
Ref/CBN/DFR/2010/06785

ATTN: BENEFICIARY

RE:CBN INTEREST PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
THE HEAD OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) HEREBY INFORM YOU THAT YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT FILE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE TAKEN CARE OF OUR AUDIT WITH OUR CORRESPONDING BANKS, IN WHICH AFTER PROPER VERIFICATIONS ON THE PAYMENT FILE WE DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAD AN INTEREST SUM OF US$8,182, 000, 00 (EIGHT MILLION ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY), WITH US.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE SAID INTEREST FUND HAS BEEN APPROVED AND SIGNED OFF FOR PAYMENT VIA WIRE TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER (T.T) OR THROUGH ATM ELECTRONIC TRANSFER SYSTEM BY THE NEWLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA.

THUS, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO RECONFIRM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS OR YOUR RECEIVING MAILING ADDRESS WHERE YOU INTEND TO RECEIVE THE AMOUNT THROUGH AN ACCOUNT OR BY ATM ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEM. THIS IS TO AVOID WRONG PAYMENT TO A WRONG BENEFICIARY, AS THIS NOBLE BANK CAN NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST OF SUCH HUGE AMOUNT. THE PAYMENT IN QUESTION, WILL BE TRANSFER TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT OR THROUGH ATM ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEM UNDER 72 HOURS UPON THE RECEIVE OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION AND YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR URGENT COMMUNICATION ETC.

THE PAYMENT PROCEDURES WILL TAKE PLACE UPON THE RECEIVE OF THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS ACCEPT OUR CONGRATULATIONS

BEST REGARDS

BARRISTER DAVID WILLIAMS
SENIOR ADVOCATE TO THE,
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

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