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:
- "million dollars" (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.
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.
- frbny.fedreserve1@usa.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "William C. Dudley" <info@acnabin-bd.com>
Reply-To: infowilliamc.dudley@aol.com
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 04:02:59 +0700 (WIT)
Subject: Contact Federal Reserve Bank for Release of your $15.5 Million
Dollars

--
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Address: 33 Liberty St, New York, NY 10045
E-MAIL: frbny.fedreserve1@usa.com
Text or call us at: +1(661)462-8353

Your payment file worth $15.5 Million dollars was brought to the desk of
Federal Reserve Bank this morning and we have contacted our corresponding
Bank in USA for transfer completion. So contact Federal Reserve Bank for
further details regarding this payment.
Now, all modalities regarding your fund release/transfer have been put in
place here in the Reserve Bank of United States of America, thus, your
funds has been made ready for transfer in our sophisticated macro transfer
system, what we need from you now is to provide to us the bank account of
your choice where you want us to transfer your funds to, so that we can
expedite action for the accreditation of your funds into your account
immediately.
Below are the information needed for now with regards to either transfer
or delivery.

So you can sending your Banking Details (2)Personal Details

William C. Dudley
Chief Executive Officer
Federal Reserve Bank

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam