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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: "MR. JIBRIL AKU" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr_jibrilaku1980@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2012 12:44:43 -0700
Subject: ATM Payment Department,

Eco Bank Nigeria Plc
Plot 21, Ahmadu Bello Way,
Victoria Island.Lagos - Nigeria.
Ref: EBP/NG-PT/FP0037/12
 
ATM Payment Department,
 
Following to the credit instruction received today from the World Bank of
Switzerland to release your Inheritance/winnings fund to you for this Quarter
payment release order.This is to inform you that we have process the remittance
of your fund to your bank account as we have been mandated to pay you by ATM
VISA CARD So you are advice to write us and as well call upon the receipt of this
Official Letter.
 
Be inform that the Inheritance/winning file we received in our office today from the World
Bank of Switzerland, your name have been short-listed for payment, and the amount we have
in your file is US$8.5Million (Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand.United States Dollars), which
is to be transferred direct to your bank account  Based on that, you are required to provide us with
the below information that will aid us check-mate if it is inline with what we have in our Central
Computer Unit for effective transfer.
 
Your Names:.........................
Contacts Address:................................
Office Tel, Mobile:......................................
Occupation, Age and Marital Status:..............................
Bank information (Details) Cradit Card Owener:.....................
Copy of your passport, or driver’s license:........................
 
Warning: We deemed it necessary to inform you that you should stop
every illegal communication that you are having with any office or officials from now onward,
 
because we should not be held responsible for any problem that might occur, if
you persist to continue with any office or officials.
 
Yours truly,
 
MR. JIBRIL  AKU
Director, Foreign Operation
Eco Bank Nigeria Plc

Anti-fraud resources: