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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: Patrick Bailing <bailing.p.t@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <patrickbailmail@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2015 10:15:44 +0000
Subject: YOUR TAX REFUND..................................


Dear Sir/Ma,
According to the Internal Revenue Service, 77% of tax returns filed in 2004 received a refund
check, with the average refund check being $2,100.In 2011 the average tax refund was $2,913.
Taxpayers may choose to have their refund directly deposited into their bank account, have a
check mailed to them, or have their refund applied to the following year's income tax. As of
2006, tax filers may now split their tax refund with direct deposit in up to three separate
accounts with three different financial institutions. This has given taxpayers an opportunity
to save and spend some of their refund (rather than only spend their refund). Every year, a
number of U.S. taxpayers around the country get tax refunds even if they owe zero income
tax.This is due to withholding calculations and the earned income tax credit.
This is due to withholding calculations and the earned income tax credit.Because withholding
is calculated on an annualized basis, an individual just entering the work force or unemployed
for a long period of time will have more tax than is owed withheld. Refund anticipation loans
are a common means to receive a tax refund early, but at the expense of high fees that can
reach over 2,000% annual interest.In the 1990s, refunds could take as long as twelve weeks to
come back to the taxpayer; however, the average time for a refund is now six weeks, with
refunds from electronically filed returns coming in three weeks.
However, some people use the tax refund as a simple "savings plan" to get money back each year
(even though it is excess money that they paid earlier in the year). Another argument is that
it is better to get a refund rather than to owe money, because in the latter case one might
find oneself without sufficient funds to make the necessary payment. When properly filled out,
the Form W-4 will withhold approximately the correct amount of tax to eliminate a refund or
amount owed, assuming the W-4 was filled out at the beginning of the tax year.
Have you done your tax refund?I am Patrick by name and i am an agent working with FTB Franchise Tax Board, employ me to handle your tax refund,Now is the right time to start filling in so that towards the end of the year you will be very happy and proud with your tax refund. Get back to me with a go-ahead instruction as confirmation and then we can
start off immediately with you first providing me with specific information needed to create
your file and form opening for you tax refund.Thank you.I am looking forward to hearing from you soonest.
Regards,
Patrick Bailing.

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