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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:
  • "international 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.
  • +23417637005 (Nigeria, landline)

Fraud email example:

From: Central Bank of Nigeria Central Bank of Nigeria
<remmittance.department10@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <inter_remit_dept1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 20:03:46 +0100
Subject: WE ARE SORRY FOR THE DELAY OF YOUR PAYMENT.





CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
LAGOS-NIGERIA

OFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.
YOUR PAYMENT ;Ref;NUMBERS 000999/CBN/7535/2003.
URGENT
DIRECT TELEPHONE LINE:234-1-7637005.
ATTN: HOURABLE CONTRACTOR,DID YOU AUTHORIZED ANYBODY WHO PRESENTED DOCUMENT OF CLAIM, REPORTED TO HAVE SIGNED BY YOU FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR PART-PAYMENT OF $9.5MILLION USD ONLY.



RECONFIRM BACK TO ME TO AVOID ANY IRREGULARITIES AS YOUR PAYMENT IS NOW READY TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU BY TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER(Based on the instructions received this morning from the Credit Department that this fund has been awaiting collection for over 2 years without anybody coming up for the Claim.)



BASED ON THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO RESPOND TO ANY MAIL OR FAX CONCERNING YOUR FUND FROM ANY BODY WHO CLAIM TO BE OR YOUR AGENT AS YOUR PAYMENT IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFERED IMMEDAITELY MY OFFICE ENDORSED THE FINAL SIGNATARY TO GUARANTEE IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.



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.

YOU ARE WARNED AND ADVISED TO FOLLOW-UP INSTRUCTIONS AS REGARDS TO YOUR FUND.



THE ABOVE IS YOUR PAYMENT (REF.# .(000999/CBN/7535/2003.) ANY MAIL OR FAXES WITH OUT YOUR PAYMENT REF. NUMBERS,SHOULD BE DISREGARDED.
Yours Faithfully.Johnson Okoma.(Account Supervisor)
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam