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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: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION <services@smart3group.com>
Reply-To: <richi000douglas@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 15:31:26 +0200
Subject: FUND RELEASE ORDER???

                              DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
                  1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20220
 
Attention: Sir/Madam,
 
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY AND WORLD BANK AUDITORS/INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS (IMF) has meeting with the United States Government and  European Parliament, and as we received a report of scam against you and other European Parliament /US citizens Etc. The countries of Nigeria have recompensed you following the meeting held with the four countries' Government and various countries' high commission for the fraudulent activities carried out by the four countries' Citizens.
 
Your name was among those scammed as listed by the Nigeria Financial Intelligent Unit (NFIU). Compensation has been issued out Funds to all the affected victims and has been already been in distribution to all the bearers. Your draft was among those that were reported undelivered as at on Friday and we wish to advise you to see to the instructions of the Committee to make sure you receive your Funds immediately.
 
According to the number of applicants at hand, 184 Beneficiaries has been paid, half of the victims are from the United States, and we still have more 37 left to be paid the inheritance fund of Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($20.5 Million USD. Signed by European Parliament and United State Government, On behalf of IMF
 
Your particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him for any reason whatsoever as the U.S. secret service is already on trace of the other criminals.
 
The only fee demanded from Department Of Treasury Direct-Account Washington DC is $390 for transfer CODE to enable Director of Telex and Wire Transfer Department have access to transfer your fund immediately.
 
Did you sign any Deed of Assignment in favor of (TOM BROWN) Thereby making him the current beneficiary with his following account details?
 
MR TOM BROWN,
AC/NUMBER: 6503809428.
ROUTING/122006743,
B/NAME: CITI BANK,
ADDRESS: NEW YORK, USA,
 
We shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Mr. TOM BROWN, if we do not hear from you within the next two working days from today.
 
Kindly reconfirm below
1) Your full name.
2) Contact Address
3) Phone, fax and mobile #.
4) Age.
5) Occupation.
6) Your bank details
 
 
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
Richard Douglas
Department Of Treasury Direct-Account
 


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