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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: "Mr. Dennis Moore" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dennis-moore@fambank.eu.tf>
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 15:54:00 +0200
Subject: Read the letter for payment of your funds; for amount; $21,329,900

From: Mr. Dennis Moore
Head of Audit/Accounts
Audit/Accounting Division
Tel: +353-1-6972182
Re: PAYMENT OF FUNDS
Message:
I am the new Head of Audit/Accounts, Fideuram Asset Management Bank (Ireland) Ltd. I was transferred from our branch in Italy.
I am contacting you because I found an international bank draft nr. 315548, bank sort code BARCGB22, Barclays Bank plc for a sum of (US$19,390,000), nineteen million three hundred and ninety thousand dollars drawn under [Bank of America], issued and payable in your name, but because the draft was not cashed and being that the expiration date had passed, the money was transferred to the bank Dormant Accounts Fund as abandoned funds under the Dormant Accounts Acts.
 
You will be pleased to learn that you have dormant funds in our bank branch here in Ireland with principal sum of $19,390,000, and after our bank annual statement for last year ending 2012; your fund had accrued interest of $1,939,900. Your total money in our Dormant Accounts Fund as at 31st of December, 2012 is $21,329,900 (twenty-one million, three hundred and twenty nine thousand, nine hundred dollars) only.
 
However, presently you cannot access this account because it has been dormant for an extended period of time; it will require you to open a new account or to reactivate the dormant/inactive account, as well as other requirements that must be met by you before the account balance can be paid to you.
 
I would be happy to direct you on how you will receive this fund, but after I receive your reply.
Regards,
 
Mr. Dennis Moore

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