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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <oceanicbanknigeriaplc112@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 06:42:29 -0800
Subject: PLEASE WE ARE VERY SORRY CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA YOUR US$10.5M IS READY!!!!

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Zaria Street , Off Samuel Akintola Street , Garki 11, Garki-Abuja. Our Ref: FGN/CBN/NIG/06/2007. Your Ref............................... >From The Desk Of Hon Sanusi L. Sanusi Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) PLEASE WE ARE VERY SORRY CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA YOUR US$10.5M IS Attention: ATM Card Beneficiary, I wish to use this medium to inform you that your CONTRACT/INHERITANCE Payment of USD$10.5M (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) from CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA have been RELEASED and APPROVED for onward transfer to you via an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw all the USD$10.5M in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world, but the maximum you can withdraw in a day is USD$10,000.00 Only We have mandated OCEANIC BANK PLC, to send you the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER which you will use to withdraw all your USD$10.5 Million Dollars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world, but the maximum you can withdraw in a day is USD$10,000.00 Only. You are therefore advice to contact the Head of ATM CARD Department of OCEANIC BANK PLC, Contact Person: Rev.John Smith, Open phone number: +234 8033254927 Tell Rev.John Smith, that you received a message from the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. Instructing him to send you the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER which you will use to withdraw your USD$10.5 Million Dollars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world, also send him your direct phone number and contact address where you want him to send the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER to you. We are very sorry for the plight you have gone through in the past years. Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept our congratulations. Best Regards. Hon Sanusi L. Sanusi Executive Governor Central Bank of Nigeria,

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