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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: "Mrs. Jacqueline Scott" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <colenelson@megamail.pt>
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 20:00:55 +0200
Subject: Attention: The Beneficiary,

BARCLAYS BANK OF UK
Barclays Bank PLC
1 Churchill Place
London, E14 5HP,United Kingdom

Dear Customer,

RE: INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF US$5,800,000.00

We at this bank wish to congratulate and inform you that after through review of your Inheritance/Contract funds transfer release documents in conjunction with the Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund assessment report, your payment file was forwarded to us for immediate transfer of a part-payment US$5,800,000.00 to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us.

The Audit reports given to us shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.

We advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence outside this office.

The only thing required from you is to obtain the Non-Residential Clearance Form to enable us credit your account directly by telegraphic transfer or through any of our corresponding banks and send copies of the funds transfer release documents to you and your bank for confirmation.

Should you follow our directives, your funds will be credited and reflect in your bank account within five (5) bank working days from the day you obtain this Non-Residential Clearance Form.

You are advice to contact the Financial Auditor with the bellow information:

Mr. Nelson Cole
E-mail: colenelson@megamail.pt

For further details and assistance on this Remittance Notification, kindly forward your FULL CONTACT ADDRESS, TELEPHONE and FAX NUMBERS to Mr. Nelson Cole

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Jacqueline Scott
Head, International Banking Division.
Barclays Bank PLC, UK.

Anti-fraud resources: