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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: Central Bank Payment <unionbankplcofficeinfo@gmail.com>
Reply-To: foreign.contractors.fund@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:02:59 -0600
Subject: Re: Your $10.5M Grant fund Payment Update

Attention; Dear Fund Beneficiary Contractor,

YOUR IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT.

We Apologies, for the delay of your payment and all the Inconveniences and
Inflict that we might have indulge you through. However, we were having
some minor problems with our payment system, which is Inexplicable, and
have held us stranded and Indolent, not having the Aspiration to devote our
100% Assiduity in accrediting foreign contract payments.

>From the Records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the
Federal Government of Nigeria, your name and company was discovered as next
on the list of the outstanding contractors who have not yet received their
payments. I wish to inform you now that the square peg is now in square
whole and can be voguish for that your payment is being processed and will
be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that
from my record in my file your outstanding contract payment is
US$10.500,500.00(Ten Million, Five Hundred United States dollars).

Kindly re-confirm to me the followings:
1) Your full name.
2) Phone, fax
3) Company name, position
4) Professions, age and marital status.
5) Working d/Int'l passport.
6) Your Security Payment Code?

As soon as this information is received, your payment will be made to you
by the Diplomatic Agency or Telegraphic Wired Transfer into your nominated
bank account directly from Central Bank of Nigeria under 48 Hours.


Mr. Sanusi Lamido
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Anti-fraud resources: