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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.ERNEST UMAKHIHE DAGOGO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <permanent.secretary@mail.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2019 13:12:54 +0100
Subject: BEST PERSONAL REGARDS !+

DEAR SIR/MADAM,
 
GOOD-DAY TO YOU. PLEASE I AM SORRY IF I DO BULGE INTO YOUR CONVENIENCE BUT THIS WAS AS A RESULT OF THE SITUATION I DISCOVERED YESTERDAY MORNING WHILE DISCHARGING MY OFFICIAL DUTIES WITH THE PRESIDENCY.
 
FIRST, MY NAME IS MR.ERNEST UMAKHIHE DAGOGO,PERMANENT SECRETARY FEDERAL MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING ABUJA NIGERIA. WELL WHILE I CAME TO THE OFFICE THIS MORNING MY BOSS AS I MENTIONED BEFORE DIRECTED ME TO DESTROY ALL THE FILES IN THE OLD CUPBOARD AND CLEAN THE ENTIRE OFFICE.
 
WHILE I WAS DOING THIS IT OCCURRED IN MY MIND TO GO THROUGH ONE OF THE FILES BEFORE BURNING THEM SO WHILE GOING THROUGH IT I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS RELATED TO A CERTAIN {UBA} BANK PAYMENT OF ABOUT $5.5 MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROGRAMMED IN AN AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE POPULARLY KNOWN AS ATM CARD AND IT WAS DESIGNED IN YOUR NAME AND FAVOR.
 
I QUICKLY CONSULTED MY FELLOW STAFF IN THE OFFICE WHO WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE HONORABLE MINISTER MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING AND MY BOSS AND SHE TOLD ME IN CONFIDENCE THAT THE MINISTER DIRECTED MY BOSS TO DESTROY THOSE FILES SO THAT THEY CAN DIVERT THE FUNDS INTO THERE OWN DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT ABROAD WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION AS WHEN THE FILES ARE BEEN SEARCHED FOR AND COULDN'T BE SEEN, IT WILL BE DECLARED THAT THE PAYMENT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BENEFICIARY AS THERE WILL BE NO FILES TO GET THIS CONFIRMED
 
PLEASE DO KNOW THAT THIS VITAL INFORMATION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE USE OF IT FINE ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TO GET BACK TO ME AND I SHALL DIRECT YOU ON HOW YOU WILL RECEIVE THE CARD, THE PIN CODE AND THE FUNDS CONFIDENTIALLY BUT IF YOU DON'T NEED IT PLEASE DO NOT DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION TO ANYONE AS MY LIFE AND JOB WILL BE AT STAKE FOR I KNOW MY COUNTRY AND THE LEADERS THEY DON'T MIND TO ROT ME IN JAIL.
 
I KNOW THAT I HAVE GIVEN OUT TO YOU VITAL INFORMATION THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO GREATER HEIGHTS IN FUTURE. LIKE I REQUESTED BEFORE, PLEASE LET THIS MATTER REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR FILE AND CARD ARE RIGHT NOW SAFE IN MY CUSTODY AS I WILL KEEP IT FOR YOU UNTIL YOU GET BACK TO ME.
 
BEST PERSONAL REGARDS,
 
MR.ERNEST UMAKHIHE DAGOGO.
PERMANENT SECRETARY
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING
ABUJA NIGERIA
OFFICE E-MAIL: permanent.secretary@mail.co.uk

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