419 scam: "Honorable Frank Edward"<h_frank@mail.gov> Investigation & Approval

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Honorable Frank Edward" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revbodethomas1010@w.cn>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 01:31:56 +0100
Subject: Investigation & Approval

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA
FOREIGN DEBT RECONCILIATION PANEL
Contract Payment, Costing, Investigation & Approval
From: Honorable Frank Edward

Attention,

I have gone through your payment file as directed by the
Presidency/Holding Bank, and seen that it is 100% impossible for your money to be released due to some irregularities detected in your file. During our investigation, we found out that you have spent so much in trying to realize your payment, which did not even reflect in your file, but I have an offer, which will at least help you recover your financial stand loses. This offer is an amount from Federal Government left over. It is a total sum of US$55,000,000.00 (Fifty-five Million United States Dollars), which will be shared between you and I in the ratio of 50% - 50%. This amount is not from your payment or has any thing related to your payment rather it is a left over from the amount used in paying local contractors and it is directly under my custody. I am offering you this because I have seen that your payment file has been cancelled due to the anomalies associated with it and revocation of the Cen

1. Abank account co-ordinates where the money will be transferred into.

2. Your full names and contact address which will be use to Sworn
Affidavit of Ownership of funds at the Federal High Court of Justice.

3. Your identification either international passport or driving license for formality.
For your information, this is not a contract payment. Therefore there will
be no bureaucracy or misfortune.

Please note that if you are willing to make this deal with me, you should
contact me immediately on the above telephone and email furnishing me with your account co-ordinates.

Also be informed that this transaction will take us just 48 hours to accomplish. If you wish for me to furnish the account co-ordinates where the money is presently lodged for verification, I will do so to clear any doubts or fears from your past experience.

Yours truly,
Honorable Frank Edward,
Foreign Debt Reconciliation Panel

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam