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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
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.
- +447024045247 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- advisoryboard2@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Payment advisory Board" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <advisoryboard2@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:55:53 -0800
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?CorreoBasura?=
Imminent Message

If this email is not spam, click here to submit the signatures to FortiGuard - AntiSpam Service.

  
The Embassy of Nigeria
                   9 Northumberland Ave, London WC2N 5BX, United Kingdom
                                          Payment advisory Board
                     Office of the provisional ruling council embassy Complex
                   Phone: + 44 702 404 5247 Email: advisoryboard2@gmail.com
 
 Dear Beneficiary,
 
 After a just concluded meeting among the board, we wish to warn you against some Miscreants, Hoodlums and Touts who go about scamming innocent people by claiming to be who they are not and thereby tarnishing the image of this wonderful country, the office of the presidency Federal Republic of Nigeria under the leadership of our new president Alhaji Muhamudu Buhari has mandated that all foreign payment be release without any further delay.
 
 With the collaboration of the UK Government based on the visit of the president Alhaji Muhamudu Buhari, the UK Government has agreed to assist Nigeria in maintaining an upright position in dealing with foreign beneficiaries and settlement of dept. and against the fight on corruption and misappropriation of public funds. This advisory board has been shouldered with the responsibility of making sure that all foreign beneficiaries' allocation as approved is released hitch free. As the case maybe, the new government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has setup up several foreign account credited with funds and also ready to instruct release of funds as soon as beneficiary is satisfied as a true beneficiary you are advised to reconfirm your full details,
 
 1) Your full name: 2) Your address: 3) Phone, fax and mobile: 4) A copy of any valid ID.
 
 I await your urgent response as we are working towards completing your payment this last quarter, as soon as this information is received, be rest assured that full attention will be given to beneficiary towards immediate release of approved funds.
 
 Regards,
 
 Mr. Lambert Cooks
 Payment advisory Board
 Office of the provisional ruling council
 London UK
 Office Line: + 44 702 404 5247
 Email: advisoryboard2@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam