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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: "JANET YELLEN'S OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <frbofny6o71@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2015 09:40:47 -0700
Subject: A notice to credit your account

FROM THE DESK OF JANET YELLEN
CHAIRMAN UNITED STATES FEDERAL RESERVE/
FUND MANAGEMENT & REFORM COMMITTEE
(SUB SECTION WEST AFRICAN MONITORING UNIT)
Our Ref: PHC/WAMU/BJN/ZZ057


Attn: Beneficiary,

We have this day received a payment credit instruction from the Federal Government of Benin to credit your account with your full Inheritance fund of US$15.8Million from the Benin reserve account with our UNITED STATES FEDERAL RESERVE. However, you are required to provide the followings data below:

{1}. Your Full Name and Address.
{2}. Your Confidential Tel, Cell and Fax
{3). Your Bank name and address.
{4). Your A/c Name and A/c Numbers.:
(5). Your Swift Code / Routing Numbers.


Please do provide the above information accurately, because this office cannot afford to be held liable for any wrong transfer of funds or liability of funds credited into a ghost account.

Secondly,the only money you pay for the transfer to take place is just $285 being the approval payment certification from the government of Benin, and you are giving a limited time to send the payment and please be advise that you are to send the payment to American Embassy office in Benin and you are to use this information to send the $285 and please be informed that you are not going to pay any other payment to any body and do not be deceived by any body to send any other payment.

Here is the information you will use to send the payment through Money Gram or Western union.

Name: CHRIS PAUL
Country: Benin Republic
City: Cotonou
Question: OK
Answer: OK
Amount: $285

Send to me the following info once you send the payment.
Senders Name:
Location:
MTCN / Reference #:


Upon confirmation of the payment, note that your funds will be credited into your provided account within 24hours.

Thanks for transacting with the federal Reserve Bank while we looking forward to serving you with the best of our service. Accept my congratulations in advance.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Thanks and God bless you.

Regards
Mr. Edward Nolan
607 523 0125
office of Janet YELLEN
Chair of the Board of Governors
Federal Reserve System

Anti-fraud resources: