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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.

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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:
  • "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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "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.
  • +2348035712443 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "consultant ng" <consultantng77@msn.com>
Reply-To: c_bn1000@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2006 11:55:48 +0000
Subject: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE

                                        

     CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

    TINUBU SQUARE ISLAND,

                 LAGOS-NIGERIA

                       OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
               FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
                     CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

OUR REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/05

 

                                    Attn: Honourable Contractor

RE: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE ON CONTRACT #:MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009.

From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the Government of Nigeria. Your name and company was discovered as next on the list of the outstanding contractors who have not 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 note that from the record in my file, your outstanding contract payment is (Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).

Please re-confirm to me if this is inline with what you have in your record and also re-confirm to me the followings:

1) Your full name.
2) Phone, Fax and Mobile #.
3) Company name, Position and Address.
4) Profession, age and marital status.
5) Any kind of identification

As soon as this information are received, your payment will be made to you in a certified bank draft or wired to your bank account directly from Central bank of Nigeria and the a copy of transfer confirmation informations will be given to you for you to take to your bank and confirm it.

Please kindly get back to me as soon as you receive this mail my cell phone+234-8035712443

 YOURS SINCERELY,

   

PROFESSOR CHARLES C. SOLUDO
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam