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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: "HM Treasury" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hm-treasuryuk@pcsias.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:18:52 -0400
Subject: (Urgent Respond)

1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ
Tel #:+44-701-298-0522(Hot Line)*
PAYMENT INSTRUCTION (24Hrs Service)
My name is George Gideon Oliver Osborne, the Honorable Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury of the United Kingdom.The HM Treasury,checkmates all local/International transactions in all Banks here in this country because we are the rightful government parastatal in charge of the UK Economy.
We contacted you because an update was received from the Metropolitan Police Mr.Bernard Hogan-Howe the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police about your compensation funds,Basically, you will receive your compensation/ Inheritance Funds through two mode of payment,In other to avoid complication or deviation you are advice to stop all contact with any other person here in London or any were regarding your funds. This is for your own good.
Today, the Intelligence Monitoring Unit of UK's Economics & Finance Ministry have verified the "Payment Column" and we found your name on our "Annual Payment mandate/gazelle", which indicates that you have been shortlisted to be paid this week/next week under the collective agreement of the board of directors of the paying Bank.
This Official Letter is being issued to you by The HM Treasury in collaboration with her Excellency the Queen.In the past a lot of Beneficiaries like (Mr. John Wallace, Mr. Wayne Brady,Mrs Jane Willams,Dr.Lucas Judge and Mr.John Wymer etc) have been Officially Settled through this Ministry because they complied to the Basic Remittance Advise which was given to them by us.You are being contacted by this Ministry today because your Funds are ready to be released as ordered.
According to the High Authority of The Order to Release, your Funds will be made available to you through the following modes of payment which you have to choose because we have two modes of Payment.
1) Diplomatic Delivery Service.
2) E-Telex Wire Transfer.
The Diplomatic Delivery Service is the 100% safe Delivery of your Funds to your doorstep via our Accreditted Diplomats whom carries Funds as a private/confidential Consignment to your residence.
Our Diplomats are not being searched nor questioned by any Airport Authority at any point of entry in the world because they are certified Legal personnel's (Diplomats). This mode takes about 2-3days for Funds to get to the residence of a Beneficiary. For this mode, your full residential address and phone will be required.
The E-Telex Wire Transfer is the Electronic Swift Wire Transfer of Funds from our Bank (Santander Bank) here to the designated Bank Account of a Beneficiary. This mode of transfer takes about 6-10hrs for Funds to arrive into the Bank Account of a Beneficiary because Santander Bank have one of the fastest Banking Channels in the world. For this mode, Your full Banking details will be required.
Officially, you are obliged to choose one option for your Payment either "Diplomatic Delivery Service" or "E-Telex Wire Transfer".Upon receipt of this Official Letter, you are Officially required to choose your mode of payment.
Kindly act accordingly because we do not entertain delay, You are to call this unit as soon as you receive this official letter.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.George Gideon Oliver Osborne MP.
Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury.
United Kingdom.

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