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:
- "demurrage " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "security keeping fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "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.
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.
- +22995259634 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- mr.terrydicksona@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Terry Dickson" <ng@cmg.com.my>
Reply-To: "Mr.Terry Dickson" <mr.terrydicksona@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2017 11:04:51 +0800 (MYT)
Subject: This is your Transaction Code: 233:cstc,101,33028 Get back to us
now!!!

This is to notify you that we have credited your total sum of
$1,500,000.00 USD originated from United nations reconciliation
payment into an ATM VISA CARD to be deliver to you through UPS courier
and we have paid the delivery fee. We credited your fund into ATM VISA

CARD because of the numerous demand in international bank transfer
which you may not be able to meet up with and if you could not meet up
with the international wire transfer requirements, the money will go
into federal government treasury account, that is why we schedule to
deliver your $1.5M USD to you in ATM VISA CARD.

Like i stated above, the delivery charges has been paid, therefore the
only money you were advice to send to them is their official security
keeping fees of $30 USD per day. They refused to accept the security
keeping fee because they do not know when you are going to contact
them and the demurrage might have increased by then and i deposited
your ATM VISA CARD package on 5th of June 2017 therefore you should
contact them with the below contact information:

Company name; UPS Express Customer Service.
Logistic Manager: Mr. Brashaw Howell
Phone: Tel: 00229-952-596-34
E-mail info_upss@fastservice.com

Try to contact them today and also send them the security official
security keeping charge to avoid increasing of their fees and let me
know once you receive this your ATM VISA CARD.

Contact them today with your full information requested below:
Your Residence Home Address
Your Direct Phone / Cell

Try to indicate all this codes to them because it will prove that you
are the rightful person that own the ATM VISA CARD deposited in their
custody.

Shipment Code awb: 33xzs
ATM VISA CARD Registered Code No: Xgt442
Security Code: Sctc:2001dhx,567
Transaction Code: 233:cstc,101,33028
Certificate Deposit code: Sctc,bun.xxiv.7801
This is to avoid wrong delivery, do that urgent to avoid increase of
their keeping fees and let us know once you receive your ATM VISA
CARD.

Yours sincerely,
Mr.Terry Dickson
Ecowas secretary
mr.terrydicksona@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam