419 scam: "Mr David Johnson"<mrdavid.roadsafe@aol.com> YOUR REF/PAYMENTS CODE:04454 $1 MILLION USD.

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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:
- "clearance fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "registration fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- ",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)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347084512118 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- mrdavidjohnson115@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr David Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrdavidjohnson115@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2012 20:48:02 +0100
Subject: YOUR REF/PAYMENTS CODE:04454 $1 MILLION USD.

UNITED NATIONS/UNION BANK SCAMMED VICTIMS COMPENSATION PAYMENT,
Department of international funds settlement.

REF/PAYMENTS CODE:04454 $1 MILLION USD.

This is to bring to your notice that I am delegated from the United Nations to Union Bank Of Nigeria to pay 100 Nigerian scam victims $1 Million USD each, you are listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims, get back to me as soon as possible for the immediate payment of your $1 Million compensation funds.

On this faithful recommendations,I want you to know that during the last United Nations meetings held recentely at Abuja Nigeria last week, it was alarmed so much by the rest of the world in the meetings on the lose of funds by various foreigners to the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today,in other to retain the good image of the country,the president of the country is now paying 100 victims of this operators $1 Million USD each,Due to the corrupt and inefficient banking systems in Nigeria,the payments are to be paid by Union Bank Of Nigeria as corresponding paying bank under fundling assistance by the Central Bank of Nigeria(C.B.N.).

According to the number of applicants at hand, 84 beneficiaries has been paid,half of the victims are from the United States,we still have more 16 left to be paid the compensations of $1 Million each. Your particulars was mentioned by one of the syndicates who was arrested in Lagos Nigeria/London as one of their victims of the operations,you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to any body for any reason what so ever,the US secret service is already on trace of the criminals.

Right now,as directed by UN secretary general Mr.Ban Ki-Moon the FBI and other Security agencies,We are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Union Bank of Nigeria to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of (US$1,000,000.00) approved by both the Nigerian government and the UN into your account without any delay.The only fee you will pay to confirm your fund in your account,is your Fund Registration fee to the UN.

Get back to us with your banking information,

Full Names:.........................
Country:...........................
Direct Number:.....................
Bank Name:.........................
Bank Address:....................
Bank Acct......................
Routing Number:...............
Swift Code:........................

Urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to confirm your fund in your account within the next 48 hours.

Yours faithfully,

Mr David Johnson,
Phone:+234-708-451-2118
Email: mrdavidjohnson115@aol.com
Director Union Bank Compensation Payment Department.

Anti-fraud resources:

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