419 scam: "ZENITH BANK PLC"<postmaster@localhost.com> THIS IS VERY URGENT

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us 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)
- "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.
- +2348038420476 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "ZENITH BANK PLC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zenithbplc6@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:28:42 +0100
Subject: THIS IS VERY URGENT

>From the Desk of Mr. Godwin Emefiele
CEO of Zenith Bank International Plc
270 Ozumba Mbadiwe Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Telephone: +234-8038420476

Dear Customer ,

We the Zenith Bank Plc hereby write to inform you that your payment file was dispatched to our firm by the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the department of Federal Ministry Of Finance.

The management of this great bank hereby wish to notify you that before we verify your fund $15.5 Million Us Dollars as instructed by the President of Nigeria, you are advised to update us with your information as listed below this email so as to enable our verification with your payment file.

Your full name: ................
Your Address: ................................
Your direct telephone number: .........................
Sex/age: ..............................................................
Account Name: ...................................................
Account Number: ...................................................
Routing Number: ....................................................
Occupation: ..............................................................
Switch Code: ....................................................................
Currency/Amount expected: .........................................................
A Copy of your Id Card Or Driver's License: See attached...............

This listed information is very important before this bank will further verify on your payment file and commence on how to complete the transfer of your fund to your own nominated bank account according to the law.

We shall wait your response as soon as possible.

Congratulations as you comply prompt with this remittance advice and achieve your final success.

Remain bless.

Mr. Godwin Emefiele
Telephone: +234-8038420476

This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee and may also be privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, or have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this e-mail or its attachments. Internet communications are not guaranteed to be secure or virus-free. The Zenith Group does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from unauthorized access to, or interference with, any Internet communications by any third party, or from the transmission of any viruses. Replies to this e-mail may be monitored by the Zenith Group for operational or business reasons. Any opinion or other information in this e-mail or its attachments that does not relate to the business of the Zenith Group is personal to the sender and is not given or endorsed by the Zenith Group. Zenith Bank International PLC. Registered Office: 270 Ozum

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam