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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: "CHARLES SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <charlesinhongkong@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:27:16 -0700
Subject: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT ORDER


MR CHARLES SMITH
STANDARD CHATERED BANK,
ONE HEDDON STREET,AFAIR
LONDON,W1B 4BD
MOBILE: +447031825009


OUR REF: SCB/LDUK/CBX/021/08.

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT ORDER.

ATTN: BENEFICIARY,

I AM THE PAYMENT PROCESSING OFFICER, STANDARD CHATERED BANK LONDON.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITTANCE/ CONTRACT SUM HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT) DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU.

THIS INSTRUCTION CAME FROM THE PAYING BANK AFRICA TO IMMEDIATELY REMIT TO YOUR ACCOUNT THE SUM OF $10M USD AS PART OF YOUR CONTRACT SUM THAT WAS BEEN DELAYED FOR A LONG TIME NOW. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING THIS AMOUNT EVERY 6 MONTH FROM THE FIRST MONTH YOU STARTED RECEIVING IT TILL THE WHOLE AMOUNT IS BEEN PAID TO YOU.

BEING THE APPROVED AMOUNT DUE FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT.MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.HERE IS THE INFORMATION SHE FORWARDED TO US FOR THE REMITTANCE OF YOUR FUNDS: NAME JANET T. WHITE, BANK NAME: CITI BANK, BANK ADDRESS: ARIZONA, USA.ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.

PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE, IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.

YOU ARE REQUESTED TO RECOMFIRM YOUR INFORMATION BY FILLING THE SPACES BELLOW AND FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR PART PAYMENT VALUED FOR 10M UNITED STATES DOLLARS WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.

WE WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT THE DELAY WAS AS A RESULT OF YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE DEATH (CHARLES ADAMS).

RECONFIRM IMMEDIATELY TO ENABLE US CARRY OUT THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PAYMENT DOCUMENTS FOR ONWARD TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS:

1. YOUR NAME:.................2. COMPANY'S NAME:................... 3. YOUR ADDRESS:......................4. YOUR TELE/FAX:...................BANK NAME:........................... 6. BANK ADD:............................ 7. BANK TEL/FAX:..................... 8. ACCOUNTNAME:........................... 9. ACCOUNT NO: ................... 10. SWIFT/ROUTING NUMBER:.........................

AS SOON AS WE RECIEVE YOUR RESPONSE AND THE CONFIRMATION, WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECCESSARY PROCEEDURES IN OTHER TO REMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OR THAT OF YOUR REPRSENTATIVE.

I THE DIRECTOR OF PROCESSING,THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE AFRICAN UNION WISH TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AFTER PROCESSING OF YOUR PAYMENT DOCUMENTS, THE APPROVED AMOUNT WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT WHICH YOU WILL RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE.

DO RECONFIRM YOUR FULL DETAILS IMMEDIATELY AND CALL THE ABOVE NUMBERS FOR IMMEDIATE PROCESSING AND TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS VIA OUR APPROVED PAYING BANK.

THANKING YOU FOR LETTING US SERVE YOU BETTER.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

CHARLES SMITH

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