419 scam: "Dr Tunde Lemon"<drtundelemon505@gmail.com> ATTN: Sir /Madam

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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:
- "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your payment is being processed" (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)
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Tunde Lemon" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drtundelomeng@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2012 09:13:09 +0100
Subject: ATTN: Sir /Madam

DR TUNDE LEMON
DIRECTOR INCHARGE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS-NIGERIA
PAYMENT CODE: MAV/FGN/MIN/FMFNG/009/2012
Attn: Beneficicary,
Following series of petitions and complaints received from the
International Monetary Funds (IMF) about Nigerians on behalf all the
foreign beneficiaries of over due contract / inheritance funds, and
based on our own investigation on foreign payment matters, we are glad
to inform you that we are aware of the illegal contact/dealing made to
you by some impersonators claiming to be Attorneys, Bank Officials and
Directors of different Offices in the Nigerian Government.
Recently, we received a report that you have been dealing with some
dubious people from Nigeria which resulted to your spending so much
money on several occasion to these people. You are therefore advised
to STOP further dealings with these people as they are trying to
divert your funds from the records of outstanding CONTRACTORS /
INHERITANCE due for payment with the Federal Government of Nigeria,
your name / company was discovered as next on the list of the
outstanding contractors/Inheritors who have not received their
payments.
Based on these unscrupulous elements that are trying to use this
project as an avenue to scam innocent people off their hard earned
money by impersonating the Executive Governor and the Central Bank
office, I am also pleased to inform you that a man by name Mr. Joe
Richardson from New York submitted a duly signed power of attorney by
you and his receiving bank account information as stated below through
his local representative claiming that you authorized him to receive
your approved funds.
Bank Name: ......... JP Morgan Chase
Bank Address: ...... 3917 Lake Ave. Rochester, NY, 14617 U.S.A
Account Number- ... 2742725795
Routing number- .... 022300173
Beneficiary: ........... Joe Richardson Contracting
As a result of this, your response is needed urgently for confirmation
before the transfer will be effected to the above stated account
information, because 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 and the file submitted to my office by
the Office of the United Nation Monitoring Unit London, the total of
Ten Million United States Dollars (US$10, 000,000.00) has been
approved by the Federal Government of Nigerian in collaboration with
the United Nation's Monitoring Unit, London, to pay you as the part
payment of your outstanding contract/inheritance payment in this First
Quarter Payments of this fiscal year 2009, while your balance will be
paid during the Second payment quarter of 2009.
Therefore, prior to this payment arrangement, you are hereby requested
to re-confirm to this office the following information if you did not
authorize anybody of such to receive the funds on your behalf and to
enable our security operatives arrest these culprits:
1) Your full names and mailing address (P.O Box is not accepted)....
2) Phone, fax and mobile .....................
3) Company's name, position and address...........
4) Profession,sex,age and marital status...........
5) Working Id/Int'l passport copy.................
6) Your full bank account informations..........

As soon as the above stated informations are received, your payment
will be made to you in a Certified Bank Draft or transferred to your
nominated Bank account through international Telegraphic Transfer (TT)
directly from Central Bank of Nigeria. And thereafter, a copy of the
transfer slip will be sent to you for your up taking to your Bank for
confirmation.
Note that the earlier you respond to this mail, the better for
immediate transfer of your over due contract/inheritance funds to your
nominated bank account.
Thanks, and we regret any inconveniences this might have caused you.
Regards,
Dr Tunde Lemon
Director Incharge
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

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