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:
- "processing fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
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.
- mrs.veornicaamadi1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs.Veronica Amadi <mrs.veoadi@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mrs.veronicaamadi1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 11:24:12 +0000
Subject: !!!!BREAKING NEWS !!!YOUR URGENT ATTENTION IS NEEDED IF YOU WISH TO
HAVE YOUR FUND RECEIVED

Attention:Dear Valued Beneficiary

believe this email will reach you in
good condition.

I know
that you might be surprise on this mail but never you had a doubt on this because all am to tell you is nothing but the truth. I know
that it is against my official duty to release confidential issue like this to
an outsider. There is nothing I can do to help you beside this; I am taking
this bold step because of my belief as a Christian. and also I understand of
what you have been passing through,

What
I want to tell you is nothing but about your fund with the Federal Government
of Nigeria, am to let you know that there are a lot forces working against you
right from the last CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi and the current Governor, Mr.
Goodwin Emefiele and
other top officials, I
understand that they have been frustrating you by demanding upfront payment
from you constantly, If I tell you that they are using all these money you sent
to them to work against you, you might not believe it. Mind you that this not a
joke and nothing but the gospel truth.

Am
here to let you know that there is ways I can assist you to get your fund
without any hesitation/any further delay
but take notice, you will be responsible for the cost of your payment
processing fees, if you can believe me and follow up my instruction to you it
is risk ,like I have assisted one woman from Mexico with it, it worked out
though her fund was US8.5 Million .if you will bear with me the only thing you
to do is to open another bank account , if you can open it in another bank, it
will be nice, but what you have to bear in mind is that you have to retransfer
the fund to another account immediately you confirmed it in your account, I
know why I want it this way.

If
you want me to go ahead, let me know and get back to me as soon as you get this
mail, if I make the transfer on this week, it might be next year march that
they will find out and by then, you have retransferred the fund into another
account

you can
get back to me immediately with the below

email: mrs.veornicaamadi1@hotmail.com

Get back to me as soon as possible so that I
will be in better position to know what to do.

Dr,
Mrs. Veronica Amadi

KTT
Dept CBN.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam