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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: "FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENT BUREAU" <foreigndebtpaymentbureau@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 10:35:01 +0100
Subject: Dear Beneficiary, PLEASE CONFIRM IF YOU ARE DEAD OR ALIVE ? YOUR FUND TRANSFER TO BE RELEASED

FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENT BUREAU (FORDPAYBUR)
Marlow International, Parkway, Buckinghamshire. SL7 1AJ, UK
Tel: +447003900702; Fax: +447092985893

Our Ref: UK/fdpb/2012/01

Dear Beneficiary,

RE: PLEASE CONFIRM IF YOU ARE DEAD OR ALIVE ? YOUR FUND TRANSFER TO BE RELEASED.

In the course of our General Auditing and Account revision of this quarter of the year 2012, we discovered that the Bank Accounts belonging to some Beneficiaries have been changed on the basis that the owners have DIED IN TESTATE (without leaving a WILL) some time last year or have given out an authorization note of change of data.

After the investigations however, it was revealed that there are Foreigners who are collaborating with Retired or former Staff to make these changes illegally without the knowledge of the Bonafide Beneficiaries and there is one traced to your data been changed to one MR. DAVID BROWN of GLOBAL OIL & GAS SERVICES (UK) who said you are dead, hence they have forwarded a DEAD CERTIFICATE bearing your name so as to divert your funds, IT WAS STATED THAT YOU DIED OF HEART FAILURE.

They have also forwarded the bank account below as the new account that will receive this fund / money.

Bank: Bank of China
Bank Address: Des Veoux Road, Central - Hong Kong
Account Name: Global Oil & Gas Services, UK
Account Number: 113-685174-667
Bank Code: 024
Swift Code: HASEHKHH

But we wanted to confirm if actually this is true and decided to write to your email address for confirmation, which after 48 hours from today and there is no response, we shall then carry out payment in their favour.

If proved otherwise by you that you did not die, please forward to us all your related details including your full names, direct telephone numbers, contact address, copy of your ID and also details of your payment. These details from you will help to assist us reach a conclusion that you are not dead and that the fund in question belongs to you.
Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge this man and his partners to court and prosecute them while your fund will be paid to you immediately without any further delay. You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against Mr. David Brown Jones and his associates.

You have 24-48hours to respond to this message or else we carry out payment in their favour as the fund has been programmed for payment this week.

Thanks,

Sincerely Yours,
Mr. Picard Marc Roger (Int'l Payment Director)


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