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:
- "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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- woodforestbank.limited@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: wood forest bank <"wood."@eos.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: wood forest bank <woodforestbank.limited@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2017 22:17:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER NOTICE OF US$17.5 MILLION TRANSFER RELEASE
UPDATE

--
ATTENTION !!!

This is to notify you that your $17.5million funds are currently being
lodged into wood forest national bank in dayton ohio branch
because we held meeting today with the (united nation) because they totally
gives beneficiaries like you the opportunity to transfer funds via
telephone banking to be able to escape international monetary policies
against transfer of funds above million us dollars.

However, this new payment arrangement is designed to help you get access to
global telephone banking and complete transfer of funds without any delay.

Finally, furnish us with your full name and your mobile telephone number
and a copy of your id, is all we need and your account will be activated,
this is to make sure you are the right person.

So can you please furnish us with your details again, so as to facilitate
the transfer of your fund immediately to your designated bank account? The
details are as follows:

Name and address of bank:
Account name:
Account no.:
Swift code:

As soon as we receive these details, we will proceed with the fund transfer
process.once again i apologize for the delay, i promise we will strive to
make it up to you.

Regards,
Mr. Rick Cordes
EMAIL:woodforestbank.limited@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam