419 scam: TREAT AS URGENT!

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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:
- "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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From:
Reply-To: "mrszsa2020@yahoo.com" <mrszsa2020@yahoo.com>
Date:
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT!

--
From: Hon/Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna AHMED.
Honorable Minister of Finance
Federal Republic of Nigeria .
{FMF Abuja - Nigeria}.

Ref: FNG/Payment 16/FMF-CBN 010/020

With all due respect, I am Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, the current Nigerian Minister of Finance appointed on 14 September 2018 in Abuja - Nigerian by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am communicating to you based on the report I receive in respect of an unpaid ECOWAS Refund Approved Compensation Payment $8,700, 000.00 in your name presently at our custody. Based on the meeting held on today with the United Nations Official, IMF officials in collaboration with ECOWAS Board Authorities and Office of the African Union Commission, in respects to your ECOWAS Re-fund Compensation Payment File of which your name and email ID was listed among the unpaid beneficiaries, I write to inform you that your files is on our desk to pay you a total sum of Eight Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($8,700,000.00 USD) as your ECOWAS Re-fund Compensation Payment.

Note that we are having a disagreement with a gentleman named (Larry C. Schwing Jr.), from Houston, Texas USA, who contacted the Board on few days ago, claiming to be your new next-of-kin, that you have gave him the power of attorney to claim your unpaid Fund worth $8,700,000.00 USD, he clearly stated that you pleaded with him to contact my office and receive the above funds on your behalf, that you are severely ill which makes it impossible for you to contact the my office in person, in respects of your approved ECOWAS Re-fund Compensation Payment File that was submitted to my office by Mr. Medard Hounga.

If the above named person (Mr. Larry C. Schwing Jr.) with bank account details mentioned below is from you, kindly write me back with proper means of identification to the said name (Larry C. Schwing Jr.).

Here is the provided Bank Account DETAILS from the above mentioned claimant to transfer your ECOWAS Re-fund Compensation Payment of USD $8.7 Million.

BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA S.A. (BBVA)
URB. JARDINES DEL PUERTO-LOCAL 8
E-29600 PUERTO JOSE BANUS
MARBELLA - SPAIN
SWIFT CODE: BBVAESMM
ACCOUNT NO: LEONARD BERNEY No 90012271
ACCOUNT NAME: INVERSIONES ESPANA S.A.

Verify and urgently write back to me as to enable us to facilitate.

Sincerely,
Zainab AHMED
Hon. Minister of Finance
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam