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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: "World Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unfundnotice@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2015 04:25:37 -0000
Subject: URGENT NOTIFICATION OF YOUR USD10.5 MILLION.

From Ms. Gwen Hines
World Bank Executive Director for the United Kingdom.
Millbank Tower, 12th Floor
21-24 Millbank,
London SW1P 4QP UK.
      
        
Attn: Beneficiary,
 
We are humbly using this medium to contact you and inform you that your unclaimed payment of USD$10.5 Million Dollars recovered in a bank in London, United Kingdom has been approved to be release to you. I have been mandated to contact you and make sure you receive this fund. Kindly contact me as soon as you release this message to enable me arrange and release this USD$10.5 Million to you immediately.
     
Contact me on my private email:  unpayment1@gmail.com
 
I am waiting for your reply.
           
Yours truly,
        
Ms. Gwen Hines
World Bank Executive Director for the United Kingdom.

Anti-fraud resources: