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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: "Barclays Bank UK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.barclays@superposta.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2013 11:41:37 +0100
Subject: Your Pending Inheritance/Contract funds transfer

Barclays Bank International
Foreign Remittance Department
St. Johns Wood Office
London- United Kingdom
http://www.barclays.co.uk/
 
 
Dear Esteemed Customer,
 
We at this bank wish to congratulate and inform you that after thorough review of your Inheritance/Contract funds transfer release documents in conjunction with the Bank of England, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund assessment report, your payment file was forwarded to us for immediate transfer of a part-payment of US$5,800,000.00 to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us. The audit reports given to us, shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.
 
We therefore advice that you stop further communication with any correspondent outside this office since you do not have to pay any money or fee to receive your funds as you have met up with the whole funds transfer requirements.
 
The only thing required from you is to obtain the Non-Residential Clearance Form to enable us credit your account directly by telegraphic transfer or through any of our corresponding banks and send copies of the funds transfer release documents to you and your bank for confirmation. Should you follow our directives, your funds will be transferred to your bank account within five (5) bank working days from the day you obtain this Non-Residential Clearance Form.
 
For further details and assistance on this remittance notification, kindly forward the following to our office:
 
Full name:
Full contact address:
Telephone/Mobile:
Fax number:
Any form of identification:
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Mrs. Alice Cole
Head, Int'l Banking Division.
Barclays Bank Plc
Email: office.barclays@superposta.com

Anti-fraud resources: