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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR GODWIN EMEFIELE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <godwinemefiele2243@yahoo.es>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2015 05:53:26 -0700
Subject: RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
FOREIGN REMMITANCE DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA
PLOT 33, ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA WAY
GARKI ABUJA, NIGERIA.
OUR REF: CBN/IRD/CBX/013/015
 
DEAR BENEFICIARY,
 
 
                     RE: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT
 
ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA IN COLLABORATION WITH IMF AND WORLD BANK. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY OF YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT AND ALL THE INCONVENIENCES YOU ENCOUNTERED WHILE PURSUING THIS PAYMENT.
 
HOWEVER, FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS DUE FOR PAYMENT WITH THE EDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, YOUR NAME AND COMPANY WAS DISCOVERED AS NEXT ON THE LIST OF THE OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENTS.
 
I WISH TO INFORM YOU NOW THAT THE SQUARE PEG IS NOW IN SQUARE HOLE AND YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU RESPOND TO THIS ETTER. NOTE THAT FROM THE RECORD IN MY FILE, YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRACT PAYMENT IS US$10,000,000.00 (TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS).KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS:
 
YOUR FULL NAME: ______________________________
YOUR CONTACT HOUSE ADDRESS : ______________________
NAME OF CITY OF RESIDENCE:_______________________________
COUNTRY:____________________________________
DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER:________________________
MOBILE NUMBER:____________________________________
WORKING IDENTITY CARD/INT'L PASSPORT:________________________________
AGE:________________________________
OCCUPATION:________________________________
 
AS SOON AS THE ABOVE MENTIONED DETAILS ARE RECEIVED, YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU IMMEDIATELY, SO YOU ARE ADVICE TO CHOOSE ONE OUT OF THE TWO LISTED METHOD OF PAYMENT 1, VIA DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY AS CONSIGNMENT 2, BANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFER 3, VIA ATM CARD.
 
YOURS SINCERELY
MR GODWIN EMEFIELE CBN GOV.

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