419 scam: FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT <brow5417@bellsouth.net> 30 Days to Christmas.

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT <brow5417@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: worldbankofficee@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:18:54 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 30 Days to Christmas.

ABUJA CORPORATE OFFICE: : A1 AMAC PLAZA,

ZONE 3 WUSE, ABUJA.

25TH OF NOVEMBER 2011.

ATTN: BENEFICIARY,

IT IS NOW EXACTLY 30 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS DAY AND NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THIS BANK JUST CONCLUDED AN EMERGENCY MEETING THIS MORNING AS REGARDS YOUR $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS WHICH IS SCHEDULED WITH A GREEN LIGHT TO HIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TODAY BEFORE 4PM YOUR LOCAL TIME TODAY.

BUT IN THE PROCESS TO HAVE YOUR FUND RELEASED TODAY IT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE BANK CONTROL TOWER THAT YOUR TRANSFER LACKED

THE CERTIFICATE OF PROBATE (COB)

THE BANK TRANSFER APPROVAL (BTA)

THE INHERITANCE PAYMENT ORDER (IPO)

WHICH HAS PROPELLED ,WARRANTED AND PROMPTED US TO CONTACT YOU IMMEDIATELY BY INFORMING YOU OF THE CAUSE OF YOUR TRANSFER DELAY.

WE DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY DIRTY DEALINGS OF TRYING TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND WITHOUT SECURING THIS THREE VITAL DOCUMENTS BECAUSE IF WE DO ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER YOUR $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS WITHOUT THIS THREE VITAL DOCUMENTS AND IT IS FOUND OUT THAT YOU DID NOT SECURE THIS THREE VITAL DOCUMENTS YOUR TRANSFER WILL BE STOPPED, CANCELED AND RETURNED BACK TO THE GOVERNMENTS TREASURY AS AN UN-CLAIMED WHICH THIS NOBLE BANKâ€™S NAME WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE MUD WHICH WE DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH.

TO SECURE THESE THREE DOCUMENTS YOU MUST AS A MATTER OF URGENCY PAY THE SUM OF $90 VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM TO THE INFORMATION BELOW.

RECEIVERS NAME: GOODLUCK UWANA

RECEIVERS ADDRESS: LAGOS/NIGERIA

AMOUNT: $90 ONLY

TEXT QUESTION: NEW

TEXT ANSWER: YEAR

REFERENCE NUMBER:

AS SOON AS YOU EFFECT THE PAYMENT NOW KINDLY ENSURE THAT YOU SEND BACK TO US THE PAYMENT DETAILS ALONG WITH YOUR CORRECT BANKING DETAILS FOR PROPER VETTING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS IS TRANSFERRED INTO THE CORRECT BANK ACCOUNT AND NOT THE WRONG ACCOUNT.

NOTE FINALLY THAT YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ANY REASON TO PAY ANY OTHER FEE OR BILL EVER AGAIN IN OTHER TO HAVE YOUR ACCOUNT CREDITED ONCE YOU PAY THE ONLY ABOVE REQUESTED FEE/BILL.

PLEASE DO THIS NOW AND CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.

I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

WE CARE,

BEST REGARDS,

MR. WHITE ANDREW.

DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE

FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,

LAGOS-NIGERIA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam