419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "million 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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- iskyebank@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Servio Alvarado" <dranthony@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: iskyebank@yahoo.es
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:51:39 -0500
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?DID_YOU_AUTHORIZE_DR_GEORGE_JEFFREY_TO_PICK_UP_YOUR?=
=?iso-8859-1?Q?__FUND_FOR_YOU=3F?=

Skye Bank Of Nigeria Registered Office,
121 Tinubu Square,Victoria Island,Lagos-Nigeria.
Email: iskyebank@yahoo.es

Operational Credit Office
Skye Bank Of Nigeria.

Date : 21-12-2012

NOTIFICATION OF CREDIT

======================================
Skye Bank Transaction Notification Service
======================================

Alert Type : Skb
Account Currency : USD
Transaction Location : NIGERIA
Description : Non-Resident Checking
Amount:S$2.3Million Dollars.

Dear customer we want to let know that the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA and the OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF ARMED FORCES FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA has instruct us now to transfer your USD$2.3MILLION DOLLARS (Two Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) into your bank account.

We are going to open account for you in our ONLINE BANK(FREE) for you, which you will use to log in into our ONLINE BANK and transfer your fund a bit by bit into your bank account.

So get back to us with your,
(1)FULL NAME,
(2)FULL ADDRESS,
(3)PHONE NUMBER, AGE,
(4)SEX AND CURRENT OCCUPATION.

We thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Thank you for banking with us.

Mr Obinna Ibe.
Payment Officer
Skye Bank Of Nigeria.

2012 copy right, Skyebank,24 hours ,7days weekly, Online banking.

Telex/Wire Department
Skye Bank Of Nigeria.
Telex/Wire Department
(Reply to: iskyebank@yahoo.es)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam