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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 COMMITTEE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <details.verified@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2021 00:20:34 -0700
Subject: Re; Payment Notice - Reply With Details

Important Payment Notice
 
Following a joint investigation by the Federal Reserve Bank and the FBI at the database of various banks, Western Union, Money Gram, Visa and Master Card Companies, airports security vaults to find out why so many funds and payments have remained unclaimed, your name and details appeared as the beneficiary of an unclaimed/unpaid US$ 4,591, 000 (Four Million Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand US Dollars Only).
 
The investigation also revealed that you have tried so hard to receive  fund and have also paid so much fees and charges to receive this funds but was not successful due to so many irregularities and bad documents presented for the release of this payment to you. The good news now is that these irregularities have been rectified and cleared, the payment documents authenticated and your payment have now been approved for immediate payment to you.
 
Based on this investigation and subsequent approval of this payment, your US$ 4,591, 000 (Four Million Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand US Dollars Only) is now ready for immediate payment release to you upon proper verification of your details to ensure your details matches the details as we have on the payment documents available. This fund is ready for instant payment to you.
 
In line with this payment directive, The Committee on Unpaid and Unclaimed Funds have been authorized and mandated by the FBI, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Treasury and all other government authorities involved to ensure speedy verification of beneficiary details and instant processing and payment of these funds to the respective beneficiaries once the beneficiaries details are verified to be genuine.
 
To enable you to receive this payment, send your details as follows:
1. Full Names
2. Contact address
3. Mobile/cell phone number
4.  Age, Sex
 
We await your urgent reply.
 
Yours
 
Christopher Armstrong
Chair, Funds Payment Committee
Federal Reserve Bank Building, Atlanta GA
 

Anti-fraud resources: