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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your payment is being processed" (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)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (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.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348060796515 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof Charles Soludo" <cbn_paymentzone06@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:18:40 +0000
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.

  CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
  TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS-NIGERIA
     FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
      CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
     TINUBU SQUARE LAGOS
                                                  
From the Desk Of:
Prof Charles Soludo
Executive Governor 
Tel : 234-806-0796-515
 
 
 
ATTN: SIR/MADAM IMMEDIATE CONTRACT
PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.
                CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/0019.
 
FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS DUE   FOR
PAYMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, YOUR NAME AND COMPANY
WAS DISCOVERED AS 
 
NEXT ON THE LIST OF THE OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS WHO
HAVE NOT YET 
RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENTS.  
I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND WILL BE
RELEASED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU RESPOND TO THIS LETTER.
ALSO BE ADVISED

THAT BECAUSE OF TOO MANY CONTRACTORS THAT I HAVE TO PAY AT THIS FIRST  

QUARTER OF   THE YEAR, YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE SUM OF
US$20,000,000,
(TWENTY  MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY), SO THAT I
WILL BE ABLE TO
PAY OTHER CONTRACTORS, BUT MY
PROMISE IS THAT I WILL
MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR BALANCE   LATER. 
KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS INFORMATION:
 
1) YOUR FULL NAME.
2) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE #.
3) COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS.

4) PROFESSION, AGE AND MARITAL STAUS. 

 

UPON THE RECONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION,
YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU IN A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OR WIRED TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.SEND ME AN EMAIL  AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL.
 
REGARDS,
 
PROF. CHARLES SOLUDO.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam