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:
- "million united states 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.
- infofrbdesk@usa.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Federal Reserve Bank" <admins@openday.com.au>
Reply-To: info.frbdesk@usa.com
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2017 20:31:15 -0400
Subject: Are you alive and okay? did you approve Mr. Manankov to claim your
funds?

ETHAN NOVEMBER
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Direct line: +1(312)701-2797
infofrbdesk@usa.com

This is to inform you that we have received a payment instruction from Mr.
Victor Manankov, a Russian citizen demanding that we should transfer your
funds to him, as you have given him the mandate and authorization for him
to receive your funds interest of (Twelve Million, Four Hundred and
Sixty-Eight Million United States Dollars).

Note that he has given us a bank account in Russia, where we should
transfer your funds to him without delay.

VTB Bank Russia
Bank Address: 43 Ul. Vorontsovskaya, Moscow, 109044 Russia
Bank Tel: +7 (495) 739-77-99
Account name: Victor Manankov
Account number: 05334599
Swift code: VTBRRUMM
IBAN number: RU643VB40702810000350137480

Please, find his passport attached in this email for you to verify and
identify if you have truly instructed and directed him to receive your
funds.We have informed him to get an official Power of Authorization from
you, before we will release the funds to him, which we are still waiting
for. However, we want to inform and confirm to us at the FRB that you
actually authorized him: you have within the next five (5) official
working days to get back to us on this notice or we will release the funds
to him.

Yours truly,
Ethan November

Federal Reserve Bank
United States of America
Direct line: +1(312)701-2797
infofrbdesk@usa.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam