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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: "Nicholas Brumsey" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davehenshew.reliancebankuk@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:43:39 -0000
Subject: Very Imporant Notice

Happy New Year
Attention!!!
Are you aware that the amount of US$3.7M was moved into our bank (Reliance Bank UK) in your favor as the beneficiary? The US$3.7M arrived in our bank from Nigeria since June, 2014 and was deposited in a domiciliary account in your name. But in the month of December,2014 the diplomatic agent by name (Mr.Kirby Solomon) that deposited the fund on your behalf submitted a bank account where the US$3.7M will be transferred into and the bank account details he submitted was not in your name. The management of our bank asked him to provide approval letter from you with your means of identification attached as evidence that you authorized transfer of the US$3.7M into the bank account he submitted, but he was unable to submit the required information and for this reason the management of our did not transfer the fund.
I write this message to inform you that the US$3.7M has stayed more than six (6) months approved for banks in United Kingdom by the British financial governing body to keep NON RESIDENTS funds in a domiciliary account without in- flow/out-flow of funds. In line with the financial laid down rules and regulations, the management of our bank has decided to move the US$3.7M to government treasury as unclaimed fund if the beneficiary should fail to claim the US$3.7M on or before Feb 6,2015. Be informed that it is against the financial laid down rules & regulations of any financial institutions to pass such information as this, but I took it upon myself to contact you directly to inform of the decision reached by our bank and the urgent need to claim your fund.
Regards
Mr.Nicholas Brumsey
Head: Funds Transfer Dept
 
 
 
 
 

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