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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • cbn.payment40@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Banking Division <info_asss@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: immediately_payment@yahoo.com
Date: 18 Mar 2008 05:56:07 -0400
Subject: RE:INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF S$500,000.00

Content-Type: text/plain

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit




>From the desk of

Mr Ben Obi

Head, International Banking Division,

Intercontinental Bank Plc.

Intercontinental Plaza

Danmole Street, off Adeola Odeku

PMB 80150

Victoria Island , Lagos, Nigeria

E-mail: cbn.payment40@yahoo.com



Dear Beneficiary,

RE:INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF S$500,000.00



We in the Intercontinental Bank wish to congratulate and inform you that after thorough review and evaluation of your Inheritance/Contract funds in conjunction with the World Bank Auditor General and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment report, your payment file was forwarded to us for immediate transfer of the above quoted amount to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us.

The reports given to us shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.



I hereby wish to notify you that your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter in reconfirmation. But due to the shortage of fund in our treasury and the present budget deficit, be informed that you will be paid in instalment and the first approved instalment is FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($500.000.00).

We therefore advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence outside this office,all you have to do is to meet up with our requirements then your morney will reflect in bank account within 5 bank working days ok .



For further details and assistance on this Remittance Notification, kindly forward your FULL NAMES AND CONTACT ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBERS



directly to E-mail: cbn.payment40@yahoo.com



Yours sincerely,



Mr. Ben Obi

Head, International Banking Division.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam