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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: "TSB BANK PLC, UK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <amooreaib@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 15:34:13 +0100
Subject: Notice of Your Electronic Fund Transfer of US$5,500,000.00 .

Instructed to resend this message to you with the form about your Electronic Fund Transfer of US$5,500,000.00

We write to notify you that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in conjunction with HMR & Customs has instructed us to release a total sum of (US$5,500,000.00) to you through Electronic wire transfer as your recovered inheritance fund.
Based on this mandate, you are required to fill the enclosed Transfer Application Form and return back to us quickly for us to commence processing the rekease of your recovered inheritance principal sum of US$5,500,000.00 via electronic wire transfer as instructed by IMF.
For: TSB Bank Plc, (UK).

Thank you,

Chief Finance Officer
TSB Bank Plc, (UK)
Southwark Park,
London SE16 3TP, UK

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