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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
  (+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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found 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.
  • +2348073304949 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Federal Ministry of Finance <fmf_online@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:24:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT


FROM THE DESK OF:
DR. ,PAUL GREEN
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
234 807 330 4949

ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY.

Following the protest of the International Community, The World Bank,
IMF and the instruction by the President and Commander in Chief of
the
armed forces(Umaru MUSA Yaradua) that all outstanding
foriegn debts especially Contract payment should be released to the
benefeciaries forthwith unconditionally.
YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $5.5M
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS
BEENGAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT )-DIRECT
WIRE
TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND
TRANSFER. MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A
LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.
HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS:
NAME JANET DURA
BANK NAME: CITI BANK,YORK.
BANK ADDRESS:NEW YORK, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF
URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL
NOT BEHELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.THE
RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE
COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITTANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND
ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND
TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS THIS FIRST QUARTER PAYMENT OF
THE YEAR.
HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO
THE SAID JANET DURA,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN
WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
BEST REGARDS,
DR. ,PAUL GREEN
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
234 807 330 4949


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam