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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: "WOODFOREST NATIONAL BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <woodnbankplc@qq.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 07:11:48 -0500
Subject: CONTACT THE BANK FOR MORE DETAILS1

Ann Healy
Vice President at Woodforest National Bank
location Columbus, Ohio Area industry Banking
 
 
 
Dear Esteemed Customer,
 
                                  REF: - INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF (US$18,500,000.00)
 
This is to notify you about this said fund.
 
After due vetting and evaluation of your file that was sent to us by the Nigerian Government in conjunction with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund assessment report
 
This bank has an instruction to see to the immediate release of the sum of Eighteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only (us$18.5 Million) of your inheritance funds claim that has been holding since is transferred to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us
 
We are made to understand from our findings that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your Eighteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only (us$18.5 Million), which has been delayed by some dubious officials.
 
The only thing required from you is to obtain RESIDENT CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE which we are not asking you to pay the fee to Nigerian as the Nigeria Government have taken care of the transfer handling/processing of your payment with other Customers. We will help you to see that you obtain the mandatory Certificate from the appropriate quarters, to enable us credit your account directly via telegraphic transfer or through any of our corresponding banks and send copies of the funds transfer release documents to you and your bankers for confirmation.
 
For your information, you have to stop any 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 met up with the whole requirements.
 
We know that your representatives in Nigeria or anywhere will advise you to still go ahead with them but on your own risk.
 
Should you follow our directives, your Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only (us$18.5Million) will be credited and reflect into your designated Bank Account within three (3) Bank working days from the date we receive the document.
 
We also advise you not to go through anybody again but only through this Bank if you really want your fund.
 
For further details and assistance on this Remittance Notification, kindly forward your
 
FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE and FAX NUMBERS:
OCCUPATION and AGE:
 
Directly to our Telegraphic Transfer Dept through this email address as follows: Timothy Hicks Call or text him @ 740 777 1343
 
Please, accept my apology if you receive this letter in your spam email is due to recent connection error here.
 
Your urgent compliance will facilitate the release of your fund.
 
Congratulations in advance.
 
Yours sincerely,
Mrs.Ann Healyr
Payment Coordinator.
Woodforest National Bank.
International Banking Unit,

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