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:
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: FROM ECOWAS COMMISSION <centbank_governor@ymail.com>
Reply-To: FROM ECOWAS COMMISSION <ecowas_compensation_dept@outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2014 13:53:59 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?If_you_are_indeed_the_owner_of_t?=
=?UTF-8?Q?his_e-mail_address_contact_Now!=E2=80=8F_?=

Â FROM ECOWAS COMMISSION
OB/OP/1234 PLOT AKPAKPA,
BENIN LIAISON OFFICE.
OUR REF.CODE:BL/773/ECOWAS/021/14

Good Day,

We were dumb founded with the report reaching us; Are you not aware that you have been assigned with compensation payment of US$2,950,000.00 (Two Million and Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) and that the payment has been credited to your name?

This was in accordance with injection from IMCB mandate on all unpaid beneficiaries. Please note; the bank COT charges has been waived out on this agreement all that is required is $105.00 activation cost to the desk of Mr. Labram Musa for activation of your payment. If you are
indeed the owner of this e-mail address please contact him immediately he will forward the PIN to you to pick up payment in your location as soon as you send the activation cost.

Get in touch with Mr. Labram Musa [Head Audit Unit, Economic Community of West African States - ECOWAS] on email: ecowas_compensation_dept@outlook.com for more details on how to proceed with the transaction. Your compensation reference is
WC/NB/ECOWAS/CB/021, I will appreciate your mail update once the contact is made.

Thanks you,
Henry Gordon
Payment Coordinator, ECOWAS Benin Liaison Office.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam