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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:

• 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)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "charles soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "charles c. soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +2348037395532 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • profcharlescsoludo29@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: udo charles <dr_charlescc@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <profcharlescsoludo29@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:04:11 +0800
Subject: ATTENTION: DEAR BENEFICIARY,




FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA CENTRAL BANK OFNIGERIA TINUBU SQUARE LAGOS From the Desk Of:Prof Charles SoludoExecutive Governor (CBN)ADDRESS: #55 TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS-NIGERIA
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION ATTENTION: DEAR BENEFICIARY,

PAYMENT NOTIFICATION ADVICE OF THE YEAR. IN OUR RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA TO RELEASE AND PAY ALL FOREIGN CONTRACT FUNDS TO THEIR BENEFICIARIES, I THE GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ON THIS DAY ISSUED THE RELEASE OF YOUR TEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS (USD$10, MILLION) CONTRACT PAYMENT BY CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT. THIS IS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA HAS DIRECTED THAT ALL FOREIGN PAYMENTS AT THIS TIME THAT INVOLVED HUGE SUMS OF MONEY SHOULD BEPAID BY CLASSIFED BANK DRAFT AS MEASURE TO CHECK TERRORIST ACCOUNT OPERATION AND TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR EVERY PAYMENT. IN LINE WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT,I HAVE THEREFORE SIGNED YOUR PAYMENT DRAFT.A DRAFT PAYMENT COVERING YOUR (USD10, 000,000,.00) CONTRACT SUM HAS BEEN RAISED IN YOUR FAVOUR TO BE DRAWN FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OFF SHORE ACCOUNT . AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED TO kindly re-confirm to me the followings information: 1) Your full name....................................2) Phone, fax and mobile#.........................3) Company name and address......................4) Profession, age and marital status..................5) Your Equity Line of Credit information (if Any)................

SECURITYNO: BECAUSE OF THE INHERENT COMMUNICATION PROBLEM IN NIGERIA ON EMAIL ADDRES. FORWARD YOUR ADDRESS WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE THE DRATF TOBE SENT TO.AND YOUR TELLEPHONE NUMBERS,ALSO YOU CAN AS WELL ARRANGE FOR A PHYSICAL COLLECTION OF YOUR DRAFT FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA HERE. BE WARNED, YOU SHOULD AVOID AND PREVENT ANY THING THAT CAN CAUSE UNNECESSARY DELAY,AS THIS MAY BE THE LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT.ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS.YOURS SINCERELY, PROFESSOR CHARLES C. SOLUDOGOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).E-MAIL: profcharlescsoludo29@yahoo.com
TELE: +234-80-37395532
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam