419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "clearance document" (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. )
- "cotonou" (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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Foreign Remittance (Bank Of America)" <info.atmremittancedepartm@gmail.com>
Reply-To: info.remittancedepatm@yandex.com
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:19:23 +0100
Subject: You can pickup your fund in any of the local bank with this code:
X3887BNKA/ FUND-CODE: X3887BNKA

*
My Greetings to you.

We receive the email you sent and the informations. We have been trying to
reach you but it since that your email, but the board of directors said
that they will release your fund to you today as soon as you can send the
fee of $36 for clearance documents, and this fee is to get you clearance
papers by today and Please before your fund can reflect in your account
this morning, you have to filling the form so that we can open account here
in our correspounding bank central bank of west africa. and by today
morning, you can pickup your fund in any of the local bank with this code:
X3887BNKA. Please and please note that today is the final day you only have
to send us the requested fee and the form for the final transfer of your
fund this morning. Please filling the form and send it together with the
fee of US$36, so that we can activate this code: X3887BNKA and you can
withdraw your fund by today without any further delay again.

And you have to understand that our correspounding bank has made today to
be the last day so you have to filling the form and send it together with
the fee today so that you can pickup your fund by today without anyfurther
delay again.

I write to inform you that your funds has been called up for payment and
specially encoded to prevent any unlawful withdrawal or diversion. and
transfer will be completed upon your immediate compliance on filling the
form and sending the requested fee by today .you will receive your transfer
in any are of bank locate in your
area .Pleasewe need your bank address/ International passport from the
rulesguiding this payment you as the the beneficiary will pay for the
releasement clearance document here in benin republic the fee is US$36. to
ensure this funds get to you on time with maximum security without any
problem. upon sending the fee we will commence immediate with the central
bank of west africa. Please kindly recofirm us your full details/ direct
telephone number, and your bank address.

please do provide the above information accurately, because this office
cannot afford to be held liable for any wrong transfer of funds or
liability of funds credited into a ghost account. Please you have to send
it today so that we can get things done without any further delay again.
Below is the details to send the money by Western Union or money gram Only
with the name of our accountant:

Receives Name:--------Ifeanyi Chukwu John
Country:--------- Benin Republic
City/state:--------- Cotonou.
Question:--------- How many Mins?
Answer:-------- -20mins
Amount:--------- $36
MTCN:---------

Please try all you can to send me the payment details today as soon as you
send the requested fee of $36 today to get all the document this morning so
that we can finishup the transfer by today without any further delay again.
Please and please try all you can to get this fee direct to us today
without any further delay again. and this will be the final endosement.
Please and please get back to us know so that we can get all this done
without any further delay again.

Waiting to hear from you soon.

Thanks,

Dr. Eric Lee
Thanks for banking with Bank of America while we looking forward to
serving you with the best of our service.
*

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam