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:

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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: office.file1997@vip.onet.pl
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2016 13:27:00 -0000
Subject: My name is Lisa Betty from Allegiance Federal Credit Union North
Carolina United state,

FROM THE DESK OF LISA BETTY
AUDITS & ACCOUNTS DEPT
ALLEGIANCE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
CLEMONS, NC 27012 UNITED STATES
Website: www.allegacyfcu.org
Private Cell # (336) 904-9627

Good Day Fund Beneficiary,

My name is Lisa Betty from Allegiance Federal Credit Union North Carolina
United state,

This is to inform you about the New Compensation development to all
awaiting Inheritance/compensation beneficiaries that has been waiting for
their compensation/Inheritance fund from Africa/Europe, that their
awaiting fund has been channel down here in NC United state and we have
been instructed by United Nation, I.M.F and World Bank To compensate all
awaiting beneficiaries with the sum of $450,000.00 (Four Hundred And Fifty
Thousand Dollars) as a compensation fund and you are listed as one of the
beneficiaries to be compensated And you can receive your fund through the
means of our Online Bank Transfer to any bank of your choice World Wide or
Via our ATM Card Debit Card Delivery to your address of your choice world
wide (with a daily withdrawal or $3.000) Or we send your a Certified
Cashier Check worth of $450,000 to your address.

So please get back to me on how you want to receive your fund including
the below information,

(You’re Full Name)...........
(Current Home Address)..................
(Phone/Cell Number).......................
(You’re Age)..................
(Occupation)......................
Copy of your ID/License: .......

Regards.
Lisa Betty
AUDITS & ACCOUNTS DEPT
Allegacy Federal Credit Union
(336) 904-9627 (SMS or Voice message ONLY)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam