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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: "U.S. Department of the Treasury" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ustreasury.asset@washingtondc.usa.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:50:34 +0100
Subject: Directives To Complete Transaction

FROM THE OFFICE OF MR. TIMOTHY F. GEITHNER
Senior Secretary, Foreign Assets Control
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Annex
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220
United States of America
Tel: +1-(202) 622-2000
Fax: +1-(202) 478-0979
 
Friday, July 22, 2011
 
Our Ref: USA/TREAS/898ATCP
Your ref: USA/IMF/7890/121
 
 
                                       COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT RESOLUTION PANEL ON WITHHELD PAYMENTS
 
You are being contacted today dated (22nd of July 2011) because you have not received your awarded funds and we want to advise you of the status of your fund payment case. Recently there was a court decision that favored you in getting your funds back from international banks that are withholding your funds. Although you are hearing from us for the first time, we have been working very hard for you and making progress on our research on why international banks has failed to completely credit funds to international owners/beneficiaries account.
 
We have also taken time to review your online email communication messages on your unsuccessful transactions with most international inheritance/contract insurance companies, European lottery organizations and other foreign banks especially in Nigeria and United Kingdom. We wish to let you know that we have communicated with most of these foreign banking institutions that withheld most international payments to individual accounts so as to find out why these funds were withheld, the source of the funds and a final solution to this problem.
 
Conclusively, we discovered that most withheld and/or unpaid funds which originated from lottery organizations, international trading company's awarded contract funds and deceased personals where not properly filed for international fund payment to its beneficiary account by the fund beneficiary approved to receive such funds.
 
Such transfer suspension was placed on these funds because majority of these international fund remittance/transfer of over the total sum of $500,000 and above to private European/Non European residence accounts abroad, usually carried out by foreign Banks, Private or Commercial Courier Companies were never properly recorded by the paying institution for future file reference/assessment by the International Monetary Fund and the Financial Services Authority.
 
Presently, your ongoing transaction in which you will gain full assistance from us to monitor your case and make sure you receive your awarded funds on instruction compliance will be on full effect in your favor as long as you have complied with the Order of Court dialog in which we are presently trying to obtain favor on your fund payment case.
 
In joint alliance with the Financial Services Authority to resolve this issue, we wish to let you know that we have been approved to assist you in receiving your awarded funds but only the total sum of Five Million United States Dollars ($5,000,000.00 USD) was approved for payment in order to enable you start up your own business. We have gone through the security manifest booklet of all international outstanding transactions and our extensive investigation confirmed that you are the original owner of this fund.
 
Through the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) to investigate and release suspended, withheld and/or unpaid Inheritance/Award Winning/Contract funds to its beneficiaries account abroad, we were able to gain an approval authorization letter from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which stated that your funds will be paid to you on proper confirmation of its claim.
 
We wish to inform you again that there is an existing arrangement from us to process and pay you the outstanding debt of $5,000,000.00 USD owed to you immediately you provide the complete requirements needed for us to process your fund payment case. This was resolved in a meeting held between the International Financial Auditors in Europe and two representatives from the American government last month.
 
It is very important we state that this transaction will never be completed if you do not comply with our instructions and you are therefore advised to apply for the transfer of your awarded $5,000,000.00 USD by providing us the information below;
 
- A scanned copy of your international passport or drivers license:
- Your direct mobile telephone number:
- Your present home address for document delivery:
 
 
By the virtue of the provision of the law which confer on us powers to advocate, adjudicate suspend and authorize an immediate transfer of your funds internationally, we hereby state emphatically and without prejudice that should there be any information that may succeed your application for unclaimed awarded fund release that are currently deposited in most foreign banks in Europe, Asia and in Africa, please do not hesitate to provide the information so that we will know how to help you receive your funds.
 
Important Notice: Your inability to make this clarification for fund transfer with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will continue to suspend your chances of receiving any international payment directed to your local bank account from any foreign bank until this clarification is made.
 
Also note that failure to properly apply for the fund payment will nullify your chances of receiving your unclaimed funds, and this fund will be confiscated and made to be forfeited under the Money Laundering and Other Financial Crime Prohibition Act of 2003.
 
 
Regards,
Senior Secretary,
Foreign Assets Control.
U.S. Department of the Treasury.
============================================
Questions about this information should be directed to
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Telephone: +1-(206) 259-6650.

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