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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • paymentdeskcbn@yahoo.com
  • paymentdeskcbn@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "CBN PAYMENT OFFICE" <paymentclerk_cbn@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: paymentdeskcbn@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 18:36:47 -0700
Subject: Your payment is ready

PAYMENT OFFICE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
INDEPENDENT HOUSE
ABUJA-NIGERIA
web:http://cbnonline.com/
Email:paymentdeskcbn@yahoo.com



ATTN,


Your Long overdue Payment.

I saw your name ( in the Central Bank of Nigeria's computer) among the list
of individuals and companies that the Central Bank of Nigeria had been
owing for long.According to the information retrieved from the computer,
you are owed the sum of eighteen million five hundred thousand U.S Dollars.I
am presently processing your payment and would like you to furnish me with
the following details:

(1) Your current physical address. This is to enable me to send yourcheque
as soon as it is ready.

(2) The name that your cheque will bear.

(3) Your telephone number. This is for voice communication .

Once again , I apologize to you on behalf of the Central Bank of Nigeria for our failure to pay your funds, which according to records in the system had been long overdue. Reply us through our payment office email address:paymentdeskcbn@yahoo.com

Yours faithfully,

Dele Osagie (Payment Officer)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam