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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "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)
  • "transfer of your funds" (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 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.
  • xx_governor@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "PRO, ChARLES SOLUDO"<prof_charles24@myway.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 11:43:40 -0500 (EST)
Subject: IMMEDIATE CLAIM OF CONTRACT PAYMENT




CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS-NIGERIA

[OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR]

FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT

CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA

Our Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/05

RE:IMMEDIATE CLAIM OF CONTRACT PAYMENT

Attn: Hon Contractor,

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, (OUR COMPUTER DATA BASE DISKETT HAS A VIRUS) which is inexplicable and have held us stranded and indolent, not having the aspiration to devote our 100% assiduity in accrediting foreign contract payments. We apologies once again.

From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the Federal Government of Nigeria your name and company is on the list major contractors who have not received their payments for the Federal Plateau Contract.

I wish to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this notification, update your information and fulfil compulsory docurments at your earliest convinience. Also note that what we are going to pay you now is $12.5million dollars. Kindly re-confirm to me if this is inline with what is in your file presently in my office in your record and also re-confirm to me the followings

i Your full name #,Bank Account,Bank Address and Swift Code.

ii Phone, fax and mobile #.

iii Company name, position and address.

iv Profession , age and marital status.

Working I’d/Int'l passport.

As soon as this information is received and confirmed, your payment will be made to you by KTT transfer and a copy Original will be mail to your at given address to take to your bank for confirmation. Get back to me immedaitely. As a result of the on-going drive of the Government to update its books and clear payment to contractors, I strongly recommend that you promptly start your clearance as soon as possible for more clarification and for immediate transfer of your funds. Thanks for your anticipated co-operation and understanding.

Faithfully Yours,

PROFESSOR CHARLES C. SOLUDO,

GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).

Pls for security reasons reply here (xx_governor@yahoo.com).

_______________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam