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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: "FROM DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <donald.wilson90@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 05:10:40 -0800
Subject: From Desk of the Secretary-General 05/01/2010

From Desk of the Secretary-General
World Bank Group, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
 
I am Mr. Donald Wilson, Bill and Exchange Manager/ Secretary General, Head of the World Bank Finance Group, London Branch, set up to fight against scam and fraudulent activities worldwide. This Group is responsible for investigating the legitimacy of unpaid contract, inheritance and lotto winning claims by companies and individuals and directs the paying authorities (banks) worldwide to make immediate payment of verified claims to the beneficiaries without further delay.
 
 
Meanwhile, you are being legally contacted regarding the release of your long awaited and overdue fund. After a detailed review of your file, the World Bank Group has mandated that the sum stated below should be released immediately. The sum ofUS$10,625,000.00 (Ten Million Six Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand United States Dollars) has been approved in your favour via my desk. I therefore wish to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be released
to you as soon as you respond to this letter. The fund will be release to your nominated bank account, if this committee has verify that the transaction was legal, and if it is not legal, that mean you have be scam by illegal individual or institute, that mean you will be among the list that
will be compensated. Barclays Finance Plc London was given the authority to legally release your fund to you. The bank detail will be given to you after will have verify your claim.
 
 
The below are the bank detail of the bank that was given the authority to release your payment to you.
 
 
BARCLAYS FINANCE PLC LONDON .
I Barclays Road
Westminster
London . United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 207-060-3022, +44 797-945-8858
Fax:  +44-700-580-3124, 44-700-580-3125
 
 
A compensation fund was also raise by the UNITED STATE government, British government and some Asia countries.US$725 Millions dollars was raise, this was the support of PRESIDENT OBAMA of United State, to pay all unpaid funds, and if this institute verify that you where scam by the wrong people, a compensation of $435,000.will be immediately release to you. Please you must respond with more detail, if you have be scam or you have unpaid fund with any British institute or individual and British bank or any Bank that was not release to you, this committee will verify if you where scam by illegal institute or individual. If you have unpaid fund, what is the amount?
Because the above amount was confirm from our list that you have unpaid fund.
 
 
Please re-confirm to us the following:
 
 
(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Phone, Fax and Mobile Number:
(3) Company Name, Home Address:
(4) Profession, Age and Marital status:
 
 
Note that the above fund has been cleared from terrorist or fraud related activities.
Most importantly, one of the British security banks was given authority to release payment to you. We shall forward you with the detail of the bank after we have received your respond.
 
Thanks for Your Cooperation.
 
 
Mr. Donald Wilson
 
Debit Reconciliation Office
Attached To (Secretary-General Office)
World Bank Group.
 

Anti-fraud resources: