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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Citibank Texas USA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kennedyswan@barid.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2015 22:44:24 -0700
Subject: IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT OF US$10 MILLION WITH AFRICAN BANK/EUROPEAN BANKS

tThis is HTML source of message you composed. Do not modify here. To modify this message press HTML Messages Editor button.
Citibank Texas USA
 
1100 Andrews Highway Branch
Full Service Brick and Mortar Office
1100 Andrews HighwayMi dland, TX 79701
Email:citibank_kennedyswan@barid.com
 
ATTN:UNPAID BENEFICIARY
    IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT OF US$10 MILLION WITH AFRICAN BANK/EUROPEAN BANKS
This is an official advice from the Citibank Texas USA foreign remittance/telegraphic dept. it has come to our notice that your Over Due payment of US$10.000.000.00 MILLION has being deposited with us (Citibank Texas USA )for further credit to your bank account as the original beneficiary.
The already transferred funds, which was made in secret transfer so that they can do final crediting to your account, but it can not work. Secret  diplomatic payments are not made unless the funds are related to terrorist activities why must your payment be made in secret transfer, if your transaction is legitimate, why did you not receive the money directly into your account, This is a pure coded means of payment, Records which we have had with this method of payment in the past has always been related to terrorist acts, we do not want you to get into trouble as soon as these   funds reflect in your account, so it is our duty as a Citibank to correct this little problem before this fund will be credited into your personal account if not your fund will be return back to the country of origin .
we have (STOPPED THE TRANSFER)on its way to deliver to your account and pay you through a secured diplomatic transit account (S.D.T.A),A contract has being signed by all the African banks that all the beneficiary been owed by them should be paid via AFRICAN UNION (AU) RESERVE ACCOUNT with us.
The already transferred funds has already being reprogrammed in our Remittance computer system for final crediting to your account, but it  can not work, due to the information we have here in your payment file which was sent to us is uncompleted.
Please you are advice to reconfirm to us if the below stated bank information is correct for froward credit which was submitted to us by MR STEVE SAND who claim to be your next of kin due to your sudden death
 
BANK OF AMERICA
ACCOUNT NUMBER 8500336629
ACCOUNT N STEVE SAND
SWIFT CODE BOFAUS3N
It is very important you reconfirm the above information to us for immediate further credit, and be rest assured that as soon as you reconfirm the BANK ACCOUNT your fund will be credit to your account within 24hours without further delay, and all the transfer payment documents will be send to you to enable you confirm the payment in your bank account without any further problem.
    Please contact me via private email address: citibankkennedyswan@barid.com for security reasons
    THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING
    Mr Kennedy Swan,
    Director Remittance Department
    Citibank Texas USA

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