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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: "John Bradley" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnbradley657@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:08:04 -0500
Subject: REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF US$17,000,000.00.

>From the Management of:
United Trust Bank,
80 Haymarket London SW1Y 4TE
London UK

REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF US$17,000,000.00.

This is to notify you about this said fund.

After due vetting and evaluation of your file that was sent to us by the Benin Government in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affair and Central Bank of the Federal Republic of Benin.

This bank has an instruction to see to the immediate release of the sum of US$17,000,000.00(Seventeen Million United States Dollars Only). of your Inheritance fund claim that has been holding since is transferred into your bank Account from their Domiciliary Account with this Bank.

We were meant to understand from our findings that you have been going through hard ways by passing through difficulties to see to the release of your Seventeen Million United States Dollars Only($17,000,000.00), which has been the handwork of some miscreant elements from that Country.

The only thing required from you is to obtain NON-RESIDENT CLEARANCECERTIFICATE, which we are not asking you to pay the fee to us here in NITED KINGDOM as the Government in conjunction with Ministry of Foreign affair aid us for handling/processing of your Payment with other customers. We will help you to see that you obtain the mandatory Non-Resident Clearance Certificate so that our bank will effect the Immediate transfer of your Inheritance Fund Of ($17 000, 000.00) into your designated bank account.

We advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence from anywhere concerning your funds, because you don't have to pass through any difficult to receive your fund, as you have meet up with the whole requirements.

We know that your representatives in Benin or anywhere will advice you to still go ahead with them, which will be at your own risk.? Your Seventeen Million United States Dollars Only($17,000,000.00) will reflect into your designated Bank Account within three (3) Bank working days from the day you obtain this Non-Resident Clearance Certificate.

We also advice you not to go through anybody again but only through this Bank if you really want your fund.

Finally, you are advice to re-confirm your below information ONLY to our Fund Remittance Dept with the below email address in other to avoid wrong transfer of your fund and also for easy communication: (unknowcontact001@gmail.com)
?
Your Full Name:...........
Your Contact Address:.........
Occupation:.......
Age:............
Private Telephone:..............

Once again, you are advice to direct your respond to our Fund Remittance Dept. with the above email address. Your immediate response is highly needed to enable us commence for the
transfer. Congratulation to your inheritance

Sorry if you receive this letter in your spam,Due to recent connection error here in England

Thanks and God bless you.
Yours sincerely,
John Bradley
Head Private Banking Section
United Trust Bank London UK

Anti-fraud resources: