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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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 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.
  • usmanbello_444@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Usman Bello" <usmanbello_444@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:44:56 +0000
Subject: RE; URGENT BUSINSS PROPOSAL

 

             CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

                         PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT

                           TUNIBU SQUARE LAGOS

                                

                                 

 

                                                                                             Date:18/01/06

DEAR FRIENDS,

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.
I AM USMAN  BELLO, I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
,PACKAGING
AND COURIER DEPARTMENT.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT ON MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDENT IN YOU.

I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR A PACKAGE WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH THE UNITED NATION DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT ATTACHED TO CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS US$10M (TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
ALL IN $100 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS
MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS.  GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE  CONTACT OF THE COURIER AGENT,
I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR MY INVESTIMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

PLEASE MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY . AND IF THIS
ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU ,PLEASE REPLY ME IMMEDIETELY SO THAT  OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
USMAN  BELLO

                                              E-MAIL:usmanbello_444@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam