419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (YYYY-MM)

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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)
- "money gram" (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. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: BANK OF AMERICA <"www.boa."@crocus.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr. Cesar De Dios" <alabibarristerrafikou@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2017 01:55:15 +0900 (JST)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF PAUL M. DONOFRIO BANK OF AMERICA ATM CENTER 633
SANTA CRUZ AVE MENLO PARK, CA 94025 US

FROM THE DESK OF PAUL M. DONOFRIO BANK OF AMERICA ATM CENTER 633 SANTA CRUZ AVE MENLO PARK, CA 94025 US

ATTENTION PLEASE

DURING THE JOINT MEETING HELD BY THE EUROPEAN UNION (E.U.) WITH ECOWAS COMMISSION (CEDEAO) INCLUDING WITH UNITED NATIONS (U.N.), IMF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON LOTTERY WINNINGS, CONTRACT AND INHERITANCE FUND PAYMENT; WE DISCOVERED WITH DISMAY THAT YOUR PAYMENT HAS BEEN UNNECESSARILY DELAYED BY AFRICANS CORRUPT OFFICIALS WHO HAVE BEEN USING YOUR PAYMENT TRANSACTION AS AN AVENUE TO EXTORT BOGUS FEES FROM YOU. TO FORESTALL THIS, YOUR FULL PAYMENT OF US$10,750,000.00 (TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) HAS BEEN IRREVOCABLY RELEASED TO YOU IN THE FORM OF ATM MASTER CARD AND THIS WILL ENABLE YOU HAVE INSTANT ACCESS OF YOUR FUND.

THIS INCLUDES EVERY FOREIGN CONTRACTOR THAT MAY HAVE NOT RECEIVED HIS OR HER CONTRACT SUM AND PEOPLE THAT HAD AN UNFINISHED TRANSACTION, PEOPLE WHO HAVE INHERITANCE TO CLAIM OR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES THAT FAILED DUE TO INABILITY OF GOVERNMENT IN SOME PART OF WORLD.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INFORM YOU THAT ATM MASTER CARD NUMBER: 5318 9001 8747 8735 HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN YOUR FAVOR, THE ATM CARD VALUE IS $10,750,000 USD (TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, USD ONLY) YOU ARE ADVISED THAT A MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL VALUE OF $10,000.00 USD IS PERMITTED ON WITHDRAWAL PER DAY AND ARE DULY INTER SWITCH SO YOU CAN MAKE WITHDRAWAL AT ANY ATM LOCATE CENTER OF YOUR CHOICE AROUND THE WORLD.

NOW YOUR NEW PAYMENT, US GOVERNMENT APPROVAL NO; UN5685P, WHITE HOUSE APPROVED NO:WH44CV, REFERENCE NO.-35460021, ALLOCATION NO: 674632 PASSWORD NO: 339331,PIN CODE NO: 55674 AND YOUR CERTIFICATE OF MERIT PAYMENT NO: 103, RELEASED CODE NO: 0763; IMMEDIATE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK TELEX CONFIRMATION NO: -1114433;SECRET CODE NO: XXTN013, HAVING RECEIVED THESE VITAL PAYMENT NUMBER, THEREFORE YOU ARE QUALIFIED NOW TO RECEIVE AND CONFIRM YOUR ATM CARD WITH OUR DELIVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE NEXT 48HRS..

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE COST OF YOUR ATM CARD COURIER FEE AS STIPULATED BY THE AUDITORS, THE AUDITORS DECLINED REVERSE DELIVERY PAYMENT, (NO MORE C.O.D FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS) THAT IF A REVERSE DELIVERY PAYMENT IS MADE, AND SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THAT WE/YOU CANNOT SUE THE DELIVERY COMPANY TO RECOVER THE FULL VALUE OF THE FUND AS STIPULATED IN THE ATM CARD SINCE PAYMENT FOR DELIVERY WAS NOT MADE AT POINT OF MAILING, SO FOR THIS REASONS, WE HAD COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE AUDITORS THAT YOU SHALL BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DELIVERY FEE OF YOUR $10,750,000 USD ATM CARD TO YOUR ADDRESS AS REVERSE PAYMENT IS RULED OUT.

YOUR $10.500, 000.00 USD ATM CARD WILL ONLY COST YOU THE COST OF DELIVERING YOUR ATM CARD WHICH INVOLVES ONLY $289 USD (24HRS OVERNIGHT DELIVERY). BASED ON THE ABOVE REASONS, WE HAVE CONCLUDED DELIVERY ARRANGEMENT WITH A DHL, IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE DEVELOPMENT; YOU ARE REQUESTED TO IMMEDIATELY PAY THE DELIVERY COST
THROUGH THE AGENT GIVEN PAYMENT INSTRUCTION BELOW. YOUR ATM CARD WILL DELIVER TO YOU AS SOON AS THE $289 COURIER FEE IS PAID WITHIN 24HRS.

URGENTLY SEND THE ABOVE PAYMENT VIA MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE ACCOUNT INFORMATION STATED BELOW, ALSO FORWARD YOUR CORRECT DELIVERY ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT THE ATM CARD TO DELIVER AS THE UNITED NATIONS WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISTAKE IN DELIVERING YOUR $10,750,000.00 USD ATM CARD PAYMENT TO YOU.

SO YOU ARE ADVISED TO URGENTLY SEND THE $289 USD COURIER FEE TODAY SO THAT THE COURIER COMPANY WILL PROCEED ON THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD IMMEDIATELY. IF YOUR DELIVERY FEE IS RECEIVED TODAY, YOUR $10,750,000 USD ATM CARD WILL LEAVE TO YOUR DESTINATION FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING AND WILL GET TO YOU WITHIN 24HRS; THIS MEANS THAT IF YOU SEND THE $289 DELIVERY FEE TODAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR $10,750,000 USD ATM CARD TOMORROW SINCE IT IS AN OVERNIGHT / 24HRS DELIVERY.

YOU ARE GOING TO USE TO SEND THE FEE VIA MONEY GRAM OR WAL-MART MONEY TRANSFER ONLY TO MY SECRETARY NAME I WILL FORWARD TO YOU IN NEXT REPLY.

RECEIVER'S NAME____
LOCATION ADDRESS____ LOS ANGELES PUENTE, CA.91744 UNITED STATES

SEND THE MONEY THROUGH MONEY ONLY. AFTER PAYING THE FEE, SEND ME THE PAYMENT SLIP CONFIRMATION OF THE TRANSACTION FOR RECORD KEEPING.

MTCN#:
SENDER'S NAME........
SENDER'S ADDRESS.......
SENDER'S TELEPHONE......

PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

PAUL M. DONOFRIO | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
BANK OF AMERICA ATM CENTER 633 SANTA CRUZ AVE MENLO PARK, CA 94025 US

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam