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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: "Mr.Ernest Brooks" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ernestbrooks@ibibo.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 10:41:46 -0500
Subject: URGENT NOTIFICATION

Attention: Beneficiary,
 
I wish to use this medium and my office to inform you that your CONTRACT WINNING LOTTERY/INHERITANCE Payment of USD10,500,000.00 only from CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA has been RELEASED and APPROVED for onward transfer to you via ATM CARD which you will use in withdrawing your funds in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world, but the maximum you can withdraw in a day is USD$10,000 Only.
 
The United States government has mandated the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA to send you the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER. Therefore You are advised to contact the Head of ATM CARD Department of the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA for further instructions on how to dispatch your ATM CARD to you.
 
Name: REV FR MARTINS UZOR
DIRECTOR ATM DEPARTMENT OF CBN
Email: revuzor@ibibo.com
 
NOTE: Tell REV FR MARTINS UZOR ( DIRECTOR ATM DEPARTMENT OF CBN) that you received a message from OFFICE OF THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE to send you the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER which you will use in withdrawing your funds.
 
 
Please make sure you send him your direct phone number and contact address where you want him to send the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER. Note that you will have to take care of the shipment charges for the delivery of your Atm card to your address which will cost you ONLY DELIVERY FEE according to what he told us when i asked him about the charges. Most importantly, i will like you to understand that the charges cannot be deducted from your fund because it had been endorsed by Nigerian and American government. SO do not expect them or even ask them to conduct any kind of deduction.
 
I am very sorry for the delay you have gone through in the past years. This office was obliged to intervene in this matter after receiving a notice from the logistics department of the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA regarding the irregularities on the release of your funds to you.
 
 
Thanks for adhering strictly to these instruction and once again accept my congratulations.
 
Best Regards,
 
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
U.S. Secretary Of State
 

Anti-fraud resources: