419 scam: "U.B.A" <info@bank.com> Attention: Award Winner,,

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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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- arafatwright@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "U.B.A" <info@bank.com>
Reply-To: <arafatwright@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 09:22:01 -0600
Subject: Attention: Award Winner,,

Attention: Award Winner,

United Bank for Africa Plc is a bank with business offices in 19 countries in Africa including Nigeria plus New York, London and Paris

This is to inform you once again that Your email address have won the sum of $10.5.million ten milion five hundred thousand dollars in our just concluded Third Quarter Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) award, Which is fully based on an electronic random selection.

This payment will be programmed into an Automated Teller Machine (ATM Card) powered by MasterCard and will be delivered to your contact address by courier service.

You are required to confirm and forward to my desk the following important delivery information:

Full name .........
Home address.......
Country ............
Telephone number...
State .............
Occupation ........

Contact the Bank as fast as this mail get to you, To avoid any delay of your payment

Bank: Agent Mr Arafat Wright
Email: arafatwright@yahoo.com
Director International Remittance

I anticipated your urgent response to this vital message.

IMPORTANT: This transmission may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable laws. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein (including any reliance thereon) is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you received this transmission in error, please immediately contact the sender and destroy the material in it's entirety, whether it is electronic or hard copy format.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam