419 scam: "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA"<foreigndebtscommission@representative.com> OFFICIAL PAYMENT MEMO.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "transferred into your 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)
- "abuja" (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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- thetrustbanklimitedghana@email.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thetrustbanklimitedghana@email.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:01:15 -0000
Subject: OFFICIAL PAYMENT MEMO.

Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF)
Plots 745 & 746 Ahmadu Bello Way,
Central Area, P.M.B 14 Garki
Abuja, Nigeria

Our Ref: FMF/AGF/101X48/2012

Sir,

This is to inform you that your payment has been approved by my office and is now ready to be transferred into your bank account via The Trust Bank Limited, Ghana. This is inline with the debt re-payment agreements reached with The Trust Bank Limited, Ghana and Federal Government of Nigeria recently, after incessant complaints by our foreign creditors/contractors on the delay of their payments by our own indigenous bank here in Nigeria.

Therefore, for the avoidance of transferring your fund into a wrong bank account, we advise you to re-confirm your current bank details to the Remittance Director of The Trust Bank Limited, Ghana, Mr. Philip Ayew on his official fax number: +233-272-260559 or Email: thetrustbanklimitedghana@email.com for immediate release of your fund.

Thanking you for your understanding and cooperation.

Congratulations.

Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Finance Minister, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam