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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: "BARCLAYS BANK PLC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barcalysbankplc11@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 22:35:46 -0700
Subject: BARCLAYS BANK PLC

BARCLAYS BANK PLC. CLAP HAM JUNCTION BRANCH, 7 ST JOHNS HILL, SW 11 1 TN, LONDON Your Ref: ICBC/01559WT/011 Our Ref: Attention: Beneficiary, Re: Notification of Payment. REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF (US$27,000,000.00) This is the second time we are notifying you about this said fund. After due vetting and evaluation of your Inheritance file which The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in conjunction with the Ministry Of Finance Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Forwarded and contracted us to see to your immediate payment of the sum of US$27,000,000.00 from their Offshore Account with us. We were meant to understand from our findings that you have been going through hard ways by paying a lot of charges to see to the release of your fund (US$27,000,000.00),Which has been the handwork of some miscreant elements from Nigeria We advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence from Nigeria. Your representatives in Nigeria will tell you to still go ahead with them but on your own risk. The only thing required from you is to obtain Non-Resident Certificate/Receipt which We will help you to see that you obtain the Certificate so that our bank will effect immediate transfer of your Inheritance sum (US$27,000,000.00) into your designated bank account. If you follow up our directives, your fund will reflect in your account within five Bank working days from the day you obtain this Certificate. Do not go through any body again but through this Bank if you really want your fund. Yours sincerely, Mr. Frank Brown Head, Private Banking Section. Barclays Bank Plc. London

Anti-fraud resources: