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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "CUSTOMER CARE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <customercare@konin.lm.pl>
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:37:04 -0800
Subject: PAYMENT ON ACCRUED INTEREST

FEXCO Money Transfer Ltd,
PO Box 8252,
London,
W6 0BR
 
Attn: Esteem Customer
 
RE: PAYMENT ON ACCRUED INTEREST OF 10,000.00 British Pounds By Western Union.
This is an urgent and important notification from  remittance Unit Western Union London United Kingdom. Western Union is a global money transfer service, represented in the UK by FEXCO Money Transfer Ltd with over 3000 agent locations around the UK.
 
This payment is an accrued interest on your fund held back by the paying bank.
It generated an interest of 10,000.00 British Pounds after deduction of Tax and Insurance Premium which is ready to to be paid to you via western union money transfer.
 
Send us your full name, address and telephone number, so we can send you the MTCN for immediate pick up.
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
Cyntia Webb.
Customer care service Manager
FEXCO Money Transfer Ltd

Anti-fraud resources: