419 scam: "George McClain"<info@manfold.com> Informational Update

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "mcclainchambers@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "George McClain" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mcclainchambers@outlook.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2016 11:17:47 -0500
Subject: Informational Update

Guarantee Trust Bank Ghana
From: The Desk of
Mr. George McClain.

RE: PAYMENT OF US$4,580,000.00 INTEREST:

I am Mr.George McClain, Managing Director, Corporate Services Division and Head of Swift Transfer Unit of Guarantee Trust Bank Ghana.

Sometime ago in our bank your fund was brought to our bank from The United-Nation/DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AUDIT UNIT and after some period, the money was taken back to their treasury. But for the period of time this money was in our bank, it generated an interest of US$4,580,000.00 which we are about to pay you Via International Certified Bank Draft or ATM Card.

For your information and advice, you need to hasten up to pick this Fund because from time to time the United-Nation/DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AUDIT UNIT'S Group auditors do come to our bank to cross-check our files and our financial update, the earlier you comply with the demands of the release of the fund, the faster the action, because when the auditors arrive and find out that this interest fund is in our bank they will call back the accrued interest to the United-Nation/DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AUDIT UNIT'S account.

What we need from you now is any form of your identification for example, your International passport or your driver license, your telephone and fax numbers for easy communication to you.

As a matter of fact we don’t have enough time to waste since we have wasted time in contacting you through phone, so try and comply with the entire necessary requirement for the release of your accrued interest.

Note I have attempted to call you but all efforts failed and I had to send you a mail on this email address which was on your payment file but if i have contacted the wrong person, kindly disregard my email.

Expecting your immediately response by email on mcclainchambers@outlook.com

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. George McClain

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam