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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "S. Barau" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cenpost11@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:41:16 -0500
Subject: Urgent message

FROM: DR SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI,
EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR,
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
Email:cenpost11@aol.com
 
ATTENTION:
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN  GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT) -DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER  TO YOU OR THROUGH ANY OF OUR CORRESPONDENT BANK NOMINATED BY THE SENATE  COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER.MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING  TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS FOR YOU TO  CONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE IF THIS WOMAN IS TRULY FROM YOU OR NOT SO THAT THE  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO ANY WRONG ACCOUNTS. CLAIM NAME: JANET WHITE BANK NAME: CITI BANK ARIZONA, USA.   NUMBER: 6503809428. PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE, AS A MATTER OF  URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU.
 
YOU ARE REQUESTED TO FILL AND SEND THIS INFORMATIONs FOR VERIFICATIONS  PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR FUND VALID US$10.5M (TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK  ACCOUNT ANY WHERE. THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF INHERITANCE ON YOUR BEHALF.
 
INFORMATION NEEDED FROM YOU FOR VERIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS:
 
1.YOUR NAME:…………………………
2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS:……………………………..
3. YOUR TELEPHONE ……………………………
4. FAX……………………………………………
5. AGE………………………………………………
6. SEX:………………………………
7. YOUR OCCUPATION:………………………………..
 
AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THIS, WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY PROCEDURES IN OTHER TO REMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR PROVIDED ACCOUNT. THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF) EXECUTIVE BOARD  OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND  HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE  DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE/FOREIGN OPERATIONS, TO HANDLE AND  TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS  SECOND QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR  2012 HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID  MRS.WHITE, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS  FROM TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THE DELAY IN TRANSFERRING OF THIS FUND  MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.
 
DR SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI,
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

Anti-fraud resources: