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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: "FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <firstbank134@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2014 09:01:26 +0530
Subject: FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC

MR JOHN ABOH OF
FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
35 Marina P. O. Box 5216,
LAGOS- NIGERIA.


Dear

This letter is written to you in order to change your life from today. I am Mr.
John Aboh the Director, International Remittance Department of this Bank, my
Boss, Mr. Jacobs M.Ajekigbe, the Managing Director/CEO of this bank is now on
compulsory leave and all power have been vested on me to make all international
payments.

Also, due to reported cases of corrupt practices in other NigeriaBanks
including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Government has
revoked/cancelled all power vested on those banks and has appointed our bank
(First Bank of Nigeria) to make all foreign payments.

Be informed that the Federal Government have approved the release of
part-payment of$7.5M(Seven Millon Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) out of your
total funds, which has been in this bank for many years unclaimed because my
boss Mr. Jacobs Ajekigbe, collaboration with the Governor of Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) have refused to tell you the truth on how to claim your fund this
is because he has been using the interest accumulated from your fund every year
to enrich himself without your knowledge.

I want to help you pull out this fund to your bank account using the easiest and
the quickest method, which have not been made known to you before. By this
method, you will open a domiciliary account with this bank (First Bank of
Nigeria), your fund would be lodged into this domiciliary account and your fund
will be paid in directly to any bank of your choice. After the transfer, you
will confirm the fund in your bank account within 5hours the same day. No Cost
of Transfer (COT) and no stoppage from any Government departments as the
transfer will be done within the bank alone and it is very safe.

The method which was introduced to you before is the Telegraphic Transfer (TT)
for which confirmation was 48hrs, because of the time factor, petitions could
come from various organizations stopping your payment and asking you to pay huge
fee which would be difficult for you to pay so that they can benefit from the
huge interest your fund generates while still in the Bank.

This method is not safe for you because it is not done within the bank alone as
information of the payment would be sent to the Central Control Unit (CCU) of
the Federal Ministry of Finance and office of the Accountant General of the
Federation.

As a good Christian, I have nothing to gain by keeping your fund, I want to
assist you receive your fund before my boss resumes office. You have to follow
up and work with me now, so keep this very confidential because of fraudsters
and impostors who go about presenting various bank accounts in order to divert
another beneficiary's fund.

your present/valid account co-ordinates and amount to be claimed so that I do
not transfer your fund to the wrong Bank Account
Awaiting your quick response.

Yours truly,
Mr. John Aboh

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