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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Collins Ali" <collinsali4@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: collinsali74@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:42:38 +0100
Subject: YOUR URGENT REPLY IS NEEDED.


CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.

LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM SWITZERLAND MR
SCHEMIRLAT AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE INCLUDING YOUR ATTORNEY TO THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF.

THIS YOUR FUND HAS BEEN CALLED BACK BY THEY CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA SINCE
DECEMBER 2007 FROM ABI BANK LONDON DUE TO THERE INABILITY TO HANDLE THE
TRANSACTION.

TODAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA TIME, MR SCHEMIRLAT AND YOUR NIGERIAN
REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO MAKE CLAIM
ON YOUR BEHALF ON YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS $26.5M USD.

I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS THEY CAME
WITH ALL OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING YOUR INHERITANCE FILE,
I DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER THEY PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM
YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS
CHANGORI AND CHANGORI THAT'S MAKE US TO SUSPECT THEM, THIS IS A SERIOUS
MATTER IN THE APEX BANK NOW AND WE HAVE GIVEN A MANDATE TO RELEASE THIS
FUND TO YOU BY THE PRESIDENCY.

NOW WE HAVE REQUESTED THEM TO FORWARD A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU,
INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) OF THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT
NUMBER..

THIS THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE IMMEDIATELY.

I HAVE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK IN TWO DAYS TIME, THIS IS TO ENABLE US
CONTACT YOU AND VERIFY HOW GENUINE THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE TO YOU, THOUGH THEY
PROMISED TO PRODUCE THE POWEROF ATTORNEY ON THEIR NEXT VISIT TO THE BANK.

I HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION IN
OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD YOU PLEASE
CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE MAIL, TO CONFIRM MATTERS BEFORE WE START
TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY GIVE THEM THE POWER OF
ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE INHERITANCE FUNDS INTO THE SWITZERLAND
ACCOUNT(UBS) AG BANKING SWITZERLAND.

YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY, AND IN LINE WITH
THE ENABLING DECREE OF 512 "A" IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES;THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
(NEIC) AND THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT ALL
OVERDUE INHERITANCE PAYMENTS BE RELEASED THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE
TO THE I.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONALITIES OF SERVICE TO OUR
FOREIGN CAPITAL DEBTS. BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE
PRESIDENCY TO HANDLE ALL PAYMENTS DUE TO FOREIGN INHERITANCE.

GOING THROUGH YOUR RECORD WITH GOLF BANK PLC WE FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE
SPENT SO MUCH MONEY WITH OUT RESULT THAT WAS WHY THE APEX WITH DIRECTIVE
FROM THE PRESIDENCY HAS DECIDED TO HANDLE THIS PAYMENT BY THEMSELF.ALSO
THROUGH OUR OBSERVATION WE FIND OUT THAT YOUR ATTORNEY BARRSITER ADE IS ALSO
MAKING THINGS HARD, THATS, WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS FUND.

YOU SHOULD THEREFORE DISREGARD ANY CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY
COME TO YOU FROM ANY OTHER PERSON OR DEPARTMENT.IF YOU REALLY NEED THIS
MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH YOUR FILE AND WE FIND OUT THAT YOUARE THE
ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE INHERITANCE FUND.

PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE ACTION AND GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY YOU
RECEIVE THIS MAIL NOW.

I AM WAITING FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR.COLLINS ALI

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam