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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. WILLIAM MORGAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrwilliamm234@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:12:36 -0800
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT VIA HSBC-VISA ATM DEBIT CARD.

YOUR PAYMENT VIA HSBC-VISA ATM DEBIT CARD.
TINUBU SQUARE,Sidney,
Gariki Australia.
FROM THE OFFICE Mr. William Morgan.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
FINANCIAL SECTOR SURVEILLANCE.
 
                  FUND TRANSFER VIA ATM CARD.
 
Account normalization of your banking details has been delayed by
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Services Authority
(UK). This has made it necessary for your contract payment to be
programmed into HSBC Visa Atm Debit Card. The total fund in question
is $8,300,000.00 This is the first part of the Payment of which the
balance will subsequently be paid into same account.
 
The Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), working in relationship with HSBC
London and also Leeds Bank in Londonhas concluded to issue you a VISA
CARD with which you can access your contract /beneficiary
amount$8,300,000.000 This card center will send you an ATM card which
you will use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine in any part of
the world, but the maximum is Twenty Thousand United States
Dollars($20,000.00) per day.
 
So if you like to receive your fund in this way, please let us know by
contacting the ATM payment department and also send the following
information as listed below.
 
1. Full name
2. Phone and fax number
3. Address were you want them to send the ATM card to (p.o box not
acceptable)
4. Your age and current occupation
5.A scan copy of your ID
 
The ATM card payment center was mandated to issue out $8,300,000.00 as
part payment for this fiscal year 2008/2009 to you so bear with
us.Also for your information,you have to stop any further
communication with any other person(s) or office(s) to avoid any
hitches in receiving your payment.
 
Note that because of impostors, we hereby issued you our code of
conduct,which is (ATM-811) so you have to indicate this code when
contacting the card center by using it as your subject We anticipate
your total compliance to this message immediately.
 
YOURS SINCERELY,
 
Mr. William Morgan.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
FINANCIAL SECTOR SURVEILLANCE.

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