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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "James Okoji" <jamesokoji4@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: dr.jamesokoji@yahoo.it
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 00:58:54 +0100
Subject: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)


CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
TINUBU SQUARE, LAGOS-NIGERIA
FROM THE DESK OF: DR. JAMES OKOJI.
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN PAYMENT,
OUR REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/08.


ATTN:BENEFICIARY.


IMMEDIATE PAYMENT ORDER.


THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE/LOTTERY
WINNING FUNDS HAS FINALLY BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX
TRANSFER(KTT)/ DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN OVER DUE CONTRACT/INHERITTANCE FUND. THIS PAYMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED
TO BE TRANSFERRED TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 4 WORKING DAYS UPON CONFIRMATION OF
THIS MESSAGE WITH YOUR DETAILS.


MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO
BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. SHE SAID THAT YOU HAVE ASKED HER TO REPRESENT
YOU IN CLAIMING THE FUNDS ON YOUR BEHALF.HERE IS THE INFORMATION SHE
FORWARDED FOR THE TRANSFER OF YOUR PAYMENT:


NAME MARY V. BAXTER
BANK NAME: CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS: ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428


PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS
FROM YOU SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING
INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME. IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE. YOU
ARE REQUESTED TO RECOMFIRM YOUR INFORMATION BY FILLING THE SPACES BELLOW
AND FOR VERIFICATIONS PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR FUND VALUED ATUS$12.7M (TWELVE
MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) ONLY WILL BE REMITTED
INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT. THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF YOUR
CONTRACT/INHERITTANCE PAYMENT.


1. YOUR NAME:.............
2. COMPANY'S NAME:.........
3. YOUR ADDRESS:...............
4. YOUR TEL:.................
5. FAX:............
6. BANK NAME....................
7. BANK ADDRESS.....................
8. TEL/FAX NUMBERS......................
9. ROUTING/SWIFT NO:....................
BANK ACCOUNT NO:.......................


AS SOON AS WE RECIEVE YOUR RESPONSE AND THE CONFIRMATION, WE WILL COMMENCE
WITH ALL NECCESSARY PROCEEDURES IN OTHER TO REMMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT OR THAT OF YOUR REPRESENTIVE. I, THE CENTRAL BANK REPRESENTATIVE
,THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN
OVERDUE CONTRACT/INHERITTANCE PAYMENT HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS
REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL
FOREIGN CONTRACT PAYMENT IN THE LIST OF THIS SECOND QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE
YEAR.


HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID
MRS.MARY IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 2 WORKING DAYS FROM
TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCOVINENCES AND DELAY THE TRANSFERING OF THESE
FUNDS MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.


YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR. JAMES OKOJI.
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN PAYMENT,


CC: THE NIGERIAN SENATE COMITTEE.
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTOR (FPD).
CC: MINITRY OF FINANCE.
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION.
CC: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam