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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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 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.
  • charlscbn@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "charlscbn" <charlscbn@terra.com.mx>
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 09:55:22 -0600
Subject: Immidiate contract payment,




CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA TINUBU SQUARE, LAGOS. TELEGRAM: CENBANK
FROM THE DESK OF:
Professor Charles C. Soludo
Executive Governor, Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN),
International Remittance Department, Corporate Headquarters: # CBN House, Tinubu Square, Eleke Crescent-Victoria Island, Marina, Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa. P.O.Box 55037 Falomo Ikoyi Lagos Island Marina.
ATTN:
Honourable Contractor, RE: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT CONTRACT #: AV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009
This is in Acknowledgement of Your Immediate Contract Payment: Contract Number #AV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/009. On behalf of the entire Staffs of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the Authorities, who are in charge of Foreign Contract Payments, we Apologies, for the delay of your Contract Payment and all the Inconveniences and Inflict that we might have indulge you through.
However, we were having some minor problems with our Payment System, which have demoralized us and caused a lot of predicament to us that are Inexplicable, which have also held us stranded and Indolent, not having the Perseverance and Aspiration to devote our 100% Assiduity in Accrediting Foreign Contract Payments. We apologize once again for all the inconveniences.
>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 now that the square peg is now in square hole, and can be voguish for that your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter.
Kindly 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) Working Identity Card/Int'l Passport.
As soon as this information is received, 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. As soon as you receive this letter mail me back for further discussion,
get back to me on this E-mail Address: charlscbn@myway.com
Professor for proper attention and quick response to your payment as it's ought to be attended to avoid delays.
Yours Faithfully,
Executive Gorvernor CBN, Charls Soludo.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam