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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic immunity"
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- bankof.a@pisem.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Brian Moynihan " <Moynihan @future.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr.Brian Moynihan " <bankof.a@pisem.net>
Date: Fri, 22 May 2015 02:24:40 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Bank of America Corporate Office Headquarters 100 N.Tryon St
Charlotte,NC 28255.

Bank of America Corporate Office Headquarters 100 N.Tryon St Charlotte,NC 28255.
Our Ref:BOA/IRU/SFE/15.5/WD/011
United States of America
Monday-Friday
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time(EDT)
Saturday and Sunday
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time(EDT)
Customer service:

Dear esteemed customer,

The Management of the Bank of America Corporate Office Headquarters
here in 100 N.Tryon St Charlotte,NC 28255 wishes to inform you that
after a brief meeting held by the Bank executives last week,the 19th
Day of MARCH,2015 at precisely 11:5 A.m. Eastern Daylight Time(EDT),
we deem it appropriate to intimate you that your funds will be
transferred into the United States Treasury Account with the JP Morgan
Chase Headquarters at 270 Park Avenue in New York according to the
record we got from Africa due to your inability to complete the
transaction and your failure to meet up with a minor payment
obligation.

The actual transfer of your funds( $10.500,000.00 ) into the
government account comes up next week. This is in line with the
instructions of the USA Treasurer,Mrs.Rosa Gumataotao Rios that all
unclaimed funds be paid into the United States Government Treasury
Account as unserviceable funds in com pliancy to section 3 subsection
1(a) of the United States Financial Law enacted in 2014 after an
attack on our dear country on December 8th,2014. Find below the
profile of the banking institution where your funds will be
transferred into following the government directive:, And note to
responds to us with below
Email ( bankof.a@pisem.net )

Name of Bank: JP Morgan Chase Headquarters at 270 Park Avenue in New
York. JP Morgan Chase Official Bankers for the United States Treasury
Department
AC NO: 68302345093
Routing NO:021109593
Account Name:United States Treasury Department,USA

Note that if you still wish to receive your funds do get back to us
immediately so that we will remove your funds transfer from the list
of those transactions to be seized by the United States
Government.Also be informed that we need only a DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY
SEAL OF TRANSFER(DIST) to complete the wire transfer.The fee to obtain
the SEAL was reduced from$600 to $300 usd and no other fee is involved.

You are required to send the fee of $300 usd by WESTERN UNION to the
issuing officer at the bank where your transaction
originated as stated below:

INFORMATION

Receiver's Name:...........ANTHONY EMAKA
Country:........................Benin republic
text qeustion...................TRUTH
answer.........................TODAY
City:........................... Cotonou
Amount:......................$300 usd
Sender's Name: .............
MTCN: Or Reference Number....

Email the following: To ( bankof.a@pisem.net )

The name of the city from where the money was sent If we receive the
MTCN today,we will transfer your funds ($10.500,000.00) before we
close office and the funds will reflect 3 hours after the transfer.We
will send you all the transfer documents to enable you start making
cash withdrawals from your account same day the funds are
transferred.We have waited for so long and we cannot continue to wait.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve your banking needs.

Yours faithfully,
Mr.Brian Moynihan (CEO)
Bank of AmericaÂ®
Email ( bankof.a@pisem.net )
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Corporate Office Headquarters,Charlotte,N.C.
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
Â© 2015 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
AR72768/DD6A66

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam