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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: "Federal Ministry Of Finance" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dr_olusegunaganga@mail.kz>
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:32:27 -0600
Subject: The Federal Executive Council(F.E.C), Code of Conduct Bureau

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
                                 Office of the Minister of Finance
                                 12 LEKKI PENNINSULA, LAGOS-NIGERIA.
                                 TEL: (01-1)+234-706-858-3352 (Hot-Line)
                                 Ref:   FMF/SGH/101/231
Date:14 july 2012
ATTN: Beneficiary.
PAYMENT FILE NUMBER: A
Release/Transfer Notice for your due Funds (US$3,500,000:00).
Payment File No: A.
24Hrs Service
It is very important that the recipient of this Letter should call
this office in order to confirm it to us that this very Letter was
received by you, the true beneficiary.  You are advised to read this
Letter very carefully because every paragraph explains what you need
to know about the Release and Transfer of your due Funds.
You are advised to read this Letter very carefully because every
paragraph explains what you need to know about the Release and
Transfer of your due Funds.
At this point, we wish to remind you to stop all further contact with
any person or person(s) whom is not recommended by this Ministry. Our
Intelligence Monitoring Unit (I.M.U), Code of Conduct Bureau, Legal
Unit and The Nigerian Police Force (N.P.F) have already apprehended
some of those suspects whom attempted to divert your Funds.
You are advised to stop all further contact with some scammers you
have been dealing with, that have defrauded you of huge sums because
they are WANTED criminal suspects.
As the honourable Minister of Nigeria, I work on behalf of the Paying
Bank of Nigeria (Platinum Habib Bank) under the supervision of the
honourable President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We are glad to announce it to you today that the honourable President
of The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the
Federation have collectively Approved and signed the Order to Release
and Transfer being the certified documentation authorizing us (The
Federal Ministry of Finance) to credit your nominated Bank Account..
A copy of the Order to Release and Transfer have been forwarded to our
international remittance department for the onward crediting of your
Funds.
In other words, we put it to you that we are ready to remit your said
Funds into your choiced Bank Account because we have a 3-4 working
days time constrain to Pay-off each beneficiary short-listed to be
Paid by this Ministry. Our Legal Unit have already reviewed your
Payment Files and they have passed it on to my desk for me to Pay you
accordingly, so be rest assured that you will receive your due Funds
as soon as possible. Officially, you will receive your due Funds via
an "Electronic Wire Transfer" which will enable your Funds reflect in
your choiced Bank Account within 48hrs after effect. This mode of
Payment is defined as one of the best and safest mode to remit huge
Funds internationally as it is absolutely different from the usual
swift transfer which takes longer time. Most Banks within the United
States of America, Europe and other developed countries operate with
the "Electronic Wire Transfer" for international transfers because it
is a recent innovation in the Banking industry.
Certainly we shall transfer your valued US$1,500,000:00 from the
Sundry/Suspense Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria being the
official Account for international/foreign Payments/debts. A
Sundry/Suspense Account can be defined as a secret Account owned by a
government and operated by certain assigned government officials being
the authorized signatories whom must sign before Funds can be remitted
from such account. For this very account no form of direct withdrawals
can be made from it except a Bank to Bank wire transfer which must be
Approved by the honourable President being the principal signatory to
the account.
Consequent to the fact that I am responsible to Pay you, it is still
my duty to enlighten you on the accurate steps to take in order for
you to gain full possession of this said Funds being Approved in your
name.
In the combat against fraud, Funds divertion and Funds delay, we have
re-lenghtly ensured that several foreign beneficiaries have been Paid
accordingly in order to retain and rekindle our country's reputation
on the global map because this recent government dispensation is
focused and targeted to relieve all foreign debts as mandated by The
Senate, The National House of Assembly, The Federal Executive Council
(F.E.C), Code of Conduct Bureau and The Federal Ministry of Finance
(F.M.F).  Already, alot of foreign beneficiaries have been Paid by
this Ministry so yours will not be an exception considering the fact
that the honourable President have Approved your due Funds today dated
14 july 2012.
In accordance to section (1) paragraph 9 of the Settlement Edict Law
of The Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1992, it is imperative that you
provide us with the below listed information so that we can Pay you.
1. Bank Name and Address.
2. Bank Account Number:
3. Account Holder's Name:
4. Routing Number/Swift Code (very important).
5. Your Residential Address.
6. country:
7. Your mobile or home telephone Number.
8. A form of identification (I.D Card or Driver's License) is also
required for official references.
To this effect, kindly call this office immediately after you read
this official Letter. TEL: (01-1)+234-706-858-3352
This Official Letter is being issued to you (THE BENEFICIARY) by "The
Federal Ministry of Finance" in collaboration with The Presidency.
Copied to:
The Accountant General of The Federation.
Platinum Habib Bank (Bank PHB).
The President's office.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr.olusegun Aganga
Minister Of Finance
Federal Republic Of Nigeria.

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