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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Howard Miller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drhowardmillercitibank@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 15:33:03 -0800
Subject: OFFICE OF HER ROYAL MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH WITH YOUR FUNDS....

OFFICE OF HER MAJESTY
THE HOUSE OF LORDS/COMMONS
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT
UNITED KINGDOM,LONDON ENGLAND.
http://www.royal.gov..uk
http://www.britishcouncil.org
http://www.fco.gov.uk
 
 
 
ATTN: DEAR FRIEND YOUR FUND,
 
WITH REFERENCE TO THE NEW UNITED KINGDOM POLICY TOWARDS THE RECONCILIATION AND IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF ALL OVERDUE DEBTS OWED BY THE ARICAN CONTINENTS GOVERNMENT TO HER FOREIGN INVESTORS; BE OFFICIALLY INFORMED THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT FILE AND HAVE CONSEQUENTLY FIND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR OVERDUE INHERITANCE PAYMENT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE DEALING WITH IMPOSTERS IN VARIOUS COMMERCIAL BANKS IN AFRICA, THEREBY BEING FRUSTRATED BY SEVERAL EXTORTION OF ILLEGITIMATE FEES AND CHARGES.SECONDLY, WE HAVE BEEN DUELY INFORMED BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE THAT YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES ARE CONIVING WITH THESE FAKE BANK OFFICIALS TO CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT AND TRANSFER YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS TO A STRANGE ACCOUNT IN CANADA.THE NEW BENEFICIARY IS PURPORTED TO BE YOUR COUSIN. HIS DETAILS ARE LISTED
BELOW:
 
MR. JAMES FRANCIS WELLS
ADD: 425 VELDE STREET,
CREVE CEOUR, IL 61610
NATIONALITY: AMERICAN
ZIP: 61610
AGE: 44YRS
MARITAL STATUS: DIVORCED.
PROFESSION:REALTOR BROKER.
BANK DETAILS:
SCOTIA BANK
314 HARWOOD AVE. S UNIT
HPO5 AJAX, ONT. L1S 2JI CANADA.
ACCOUNT NUMBER:321020072923
ACCOUNT NAME:JAMES FRANCIS WELLS
 
PLEASE YOU ARE ADVISED TO RECONFIRM TO OFFICE OF DR HOWARD MILLER OF CITI BANK LONDON, AND CLERIFY TO HIM THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORIZED THE ABOVE SAID PERSON TO CLAIM YOUR FUNDS, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE A POWER OF ATTORNEY TO THE CITI BANK LONDON TO COMPLY WITH THE APPLICATION ORDER.THE SERIOUSNESS OF CORRUPTION AMONG THE OFFICIALS OF MOST COMMERCIAL BANKS IN AFRICA IS AT ITS CLIMAX, HENCE HER ROYAL MAJESTY,THE QUEEN ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND UK, QUEEN ELIZABETH (GCFR) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE  DELEGATED OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS HAS MANDATED THE THE CITI BANK LONDON" TO PAY A PART PAYMENT OF US$12.5 MILLION IN FAVOUR OF FILE#: CITI/ATM/CBX/021/09, FROM YOUR OVERDUE INHERITANCE CONTRACT FUNDS. THE CITI BANK  WILL SEND YOU A DIGITAL ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, WITH MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL OF $20,000 DAILY. SO IF YOU WILL LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS VIA THIS CONVENIENT AND SECURED WAY, THEN KINDLY CONTACT
THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR (CITI BANK), FINANCIAL SECTOR FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.
 
PLEASE QUOTE FILE NUMBER DURING CONTACT#: CITI/ATM/CBX/021/09.
 
CONTACT DETAILS:
DR. MR. HOWARD MILLER
DEPUTY GOVERNOR, FINANCIAL SECTOR SURVEILLANCE
CITI BANK OF LONDON.
TEL: +447035985995
TEL: +447011198825
Email:mailcitibank2009@gmail.com
EMAIL:drhowardmillercitibank@gmail.com
 
HOWEVER, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN RE-ORGANIZING THESE SYSTEMS, AND EQUALLY THE INCONVENIENCES THIS DELAY MIGHT HAVE CAUSED YOU AND YOUR COMPANY IN THE VERY RECENT TIMES. OUR VISION IS TO ENCOURAGE FOREIGN INVESTORS BY CREATING SUITABLE AND ENABLING ENVIROMENT FOR INVESTMENT WITHIN THE SHORES OF AFRICA GENERALLY.MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO COMPLETE AND SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO CONFIRM AND UPDATE YOUR RECORDS TO FACILITATE YOUR PAYMENT.
 
1) CONFIRM YOUR FULL NAME.
2) CONFIRM YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS.
3) CONFIRM YOUR PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE PHONE NUMBERS.
4) CONFIRM YOUR PROFESSION, AGE & MARITAL STATUS.
5) CONFIRM NATIONALITY.
 
(THE ABOVE INFORMATIONS ARE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVIENCE) YOU ARE WARNED, IN YOUR OWN INTEREST; STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY INSTITUTION, OFFICES OR PERSONS CLAIMING TO HAVE RELEVANCE TO THE PAYMENT OF YOUR OVERDUE FUNDS OUT-SIDE THE CITI BANK.NOTE: TO AVOID MISAPPROPRIATION AND IMPERSONATION, YOU ARE HEREBY GIVEN A CODE OF CONDUCT REFERENCE NUMBER: CITI/ATMSCXX0X5X7X5X09. YOU MUST INDICATE YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT REFERENCE NUMBER: CITI/ATMSCXX0X5X7X5X09 WHEN CONTACTING THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, FINANCIAL SECTOR SURVEILLANCE, CITI BANK.
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 
BEST REGARDS,
SIR. JAMES FREEMAN
CHAIRMAN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS ISSUES.
 
This email and its attachments may be confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. If you are not the intended recipient of this email and its attachments, you must take no action based upon them, nor must you copy or show them to anyone. Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this email.

Anti-fraud resources: